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Architects: Houben / van Mierlo
- Area: 6100 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Bas Gijselhart, Koen Bosman
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Manufacturers: IsoHemp
'Made by NRE' is a collective of residents, entrepreneurs, designers, and makers, initiated by the architecture firm Houben / Van Mierlo. In 2018, the collective was selected by the municipality of Eindhoven as the winner of the tender for four previously undeveloped plots on the NRE site in Eindhoven. Together, through a bottom-up structure, they developed an ensemble of four distinctive buildings. In addition to twelve homes, they realized a range of business spaces in them: craft and creative workplaces, an exhibition space, a language school, a vintage car garage, a restaurant, a small hotel, and parking facilities.
Ambachtsdorp. The 'Ambachtsdorp' (transl: Crafts Village) consists of nine very different dwellings around a collective courtyard. Because of to the square shape, all houses are shallow and enjoy a lot of daylight. In addition, the inner garden gives the building and its residents an intimate and sheltered outdoor space.
The building is not parcelled out, but the dwellings have been put together like 'tetris' puzzle pieces. This made it possible to create an optimal home for all residents, which fits everyone's program and budget.
Body Building. The 'Body Building' was developed by and for three designers who all work from the human body. They wanted to design their studios and collective presentation space in a building that was as circular and sustainable as possible.
The load-bearing structure of the building, including the facade, is made of cross-laminated timber (CLT). In front of this, an insulating layer has been built in self-supporting, insulating hempcrete blocks. These bio-based materials provide a breathable shell and a healthy indoor climate: Together they store more than 200 tons of CO2. On the outside, the facade is finished with lime plaster and a layer of paint.
The idea for the design of the special 'skin' of the building was developed by the clients themselves. It is inspired by the human body, where the bones can be read through the skin, and by the appearance of scaffolding structures wrapped in white plastic foil.
Werkgebouw. For ‘Werkgebouw’ (transl: Work Building) a diverse group of entrepreneurs set out to create a multifunctional building. A challenge was the consistent design and engineering of the unusually diverse program. The facade is not a patchwork of appearances but has a calm, all-sided and rhythmic appearance.
The design of the façade shows the structure of the building: A layer of overhead doors on the ground floor and a double rhythm of windows on the first floor. The load-bearing structure is made of a dry and demountable steel system with a facade of steel and polycarbonate profiles. A serrated and recessed roof structure provides space for the hotel and is executed in a golden yellow corrugated steel facade.
PARK NRE. In the tender request, the plot for PARK NRE was designated to meet the extra parking demand created by the transformation of the NRE site. To maintain the otherwise intimate structure of streets, alleys, and squares on the NRE site, an office building was made above the parking.
The office building houses five different companies, including the office of architect Houben / Van Mierlo. From the large entrance staircase on the corner of the plot, you enter the central axis of the building. Inside, a large staircase takes you further to a central kitchen and canteen. With an abundance of daylight, thanks to the sawtooth roof, this is the beating heart of the building.
The building has a green roof, a spacious roof garden, and a green facade in the making. The facade is designed as a slatted frame on spacers. The facade is covered with a sophisticated palette of plants which are planted at ground level in the open ground.
‘Made by NRE’ is this final development that completes the transformation of the NRE site. The former gasworks site has been transformed into an exceptionally sustainable, open, and lively part of the city. An area where people live and work, with space for art and leisure.
