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Architects: Benthem Crouwel Architects
- Area: 23150 m²
- Year: 2010
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Manufacturers: VetroTech Saint-Gobain
Text description provided by the architects. The new premises of the Academic Centre for Dentistry is situated on the ambitious Southern Axis development corridor (Zuidas), in full view of the A10 motorway. The center consists of a seven-story base above which hovers a block of laboratories.
The first two floors are rendered as a transparent plinth with an open character. A large cantilever shelters the entrance zone, whose illuminated open-air ceiling emphasizes its height creating an inviting ambience. Inside, beneath the floor tilting in two directions of the double-height lecture hall, is a large public information desk. The central well, around which all functions are organized, is a vibrant hub pulling everything together.
A basic graphic pattern of stripes applied to the glazing of the facade gives a surprising Moiré effect: the building's look changes with the angle of observation and the weather conditions. The restaurant in the transparent intermediary zone can be seen from a great distance and itself offers a spectacular view across Amsterdam.
