Menzis office building / Cie

Jul 2008

Uploaded by Nico Saieh — Filed under: Institutional Architecture ,Offices ,Selected , Cie, The Netherlands

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Architects: Branimir Medic & Pero Puljiz, de Architekten Cie
Location: Groningen, Netherlands
Project Team: V. Ulrich, M. de Jong, K. de Schepper, C. Garcia, W. Benschop, M. Keijzer, P. van Berkum, H.O. Vermeer
Construction Year: 2003-2005
Contractor: Heijmans IBC bouw bv, Assen
Structural Engineer: Ingenieursbureau Wassenaar bv, Haren
Constructed Area: 20,000 sqm
Photographs: Allard van der Hoek, Christian Richters, Luuk Kramer

The new construction for the Menzis health insurarce company is situated on the edge of the Europapark urban expansion of the city of Groningen. At city scale level, the construction expresses its iconographic character toward the urban circular and the A7 motorway, the Europaweg. At ground floor level, the street alignment is determinated by the Europapark, where the building, as it rises, gradually leans over into the street space.

The 12-storey building is divided into three identical prismatic segments, rotatred 90º in relation to each other. With dimensions of 43 x 43 m, the segment is characterized by functional yet aesthetic compactness. Each segment contains four storeys, intersected vertically by an atrium. As a consequence, a spiral of atria is generated, forming an internal response to the dynamic exterior.

The foot accommodates the public functions, which are orientated toward the atrium and include service desks, an insurance shop and a healthcare service center. A doctor’s room and several consulting rooms are situated in themore private area. A practical system of partitioning divides the third and fourth floors into meeting rooms, a library, training areas, an auditorium, and a restaurant. The restaurant area can also be deployed flexibly as extra meeting space if required. The spacious staircase, which allow easy public flow though the atrium to the restaurant and meeting centre above, offer an unimpeded view of both the inner area and the water of the Winschoterdiep (canal).

The middle and upper segments are generic. The specific presence of the atrium, which allows the incidence of daylight into the building, contrasts with the neutral character of each storey. The atrium divides each storey into a series of working areas with distinct qualities: peripheral or secluded, light or well-shaded, open or closed. The variation in spatial conditions enables the application of diverse office concepts, geared to the different work processes within Menzis, such as the call center, administrative functions, and stuff functions. The atrium stairs facilitate informal contact between the floors. In combination with the use of natural materials, the magnolia garden around the building with its diverse terraces, water features and illuminations, contributes to creating a pleasant and relaxed ambience.

: site plan

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: plan 02

: plan 03

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: plan 06

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: section 02

: section 03

Cite:
Saieh , Nico . "Menzis office building / Cie" 29 Jul 2008. ArchDaily. Accessed 09 Feb 2012. <http://www.archdaily.com/4436>

Comments (9)
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jarmo k says:

yes-yes, a spectacular building, especially the interior!

but what i love the most, are those red chairs with wheels! :D can anybody please tell me something about them? designer? when they were designed? which company produces them?

thanks in advance (:

rock on, archdaily!
jk

# July 29, 2008 at 11:14

JUST COOL Design Blog says:

those red chairs are excellent, i agree. where ARE they from?
the building – interesting – smart to stop at the 12th floor. when i look at it i feel like yelling…
TIMBERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR…
great design

# July 29, 2008 at 22:16

marco says:

eayrider chair, from bulo: http://en.bulo.com/loveyouroffice/coll_carteb_easyrider.php

# July 30, 2008 at 20:34

thanks a lot, marco! (:

# August 1, 2008 at 00:25

tommy says:

Four words. Seattle, Public, Library, Knockoff.

# February 11, 2009 at 17:31

mo says:

To what extent is this building a Seattle Library knockoff? What do you base your conclusion, simply on it’s angular form?

Comments like these never cease to amaze me.

# February 19, 2009 at 14:50

J says:

Hmm. No. The space inside is nothing like seattle library. The angular facade provide space and shading in the same time to the balcony.

the hole also continues from the balcony and provides one atrium in the middle of the building.

quite smart.

The rest is just normal office configuration.

and yeah, i think we as architects should comments on the inside and the whole space first, and check what causes this form to emerge? rather than comments only on the exterior.

# March 5, 2009 at 23:56

AL says: