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Architects: derksen | windt architecten
- Area: 298 m²
- Year: 2019
- Photographs: René de Wit
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Manufacturers: Kingspan Insulated Panels, Reynaers Aluminium, Rodeca, Vectorworks, Sab Profiel, Alsta nassau, Trimble
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Lead Architects: Jeroen Derksen and David Windt
Text description provided by the architects. The demand for a practical and sustainable business premises has been answered by derksen|windt architecten with a striking design that revolves around rhythm, daylight and the right proportions. The architectural result for this collection of business units is a direct and indirect reference to the typical sawtooth roof construction.
This originates from the desire to create a larger volume in relatable proportions combined with the search for optimum use of light. This led to an contemporary, finely detailed building. A typical industrial building is a large, closed volume with a somewhat temporary appearance due to the use of materials. For this assignment, the architects have searched for a different appearance, for which that same functionality and practical interpretation should be possible.
The building is located on a small-scale business park in Rozenburg, close to the Rotterdam ports, making it a nice base for many companies. The clients wanted to add a collection of four business units under one roof to this business park. The appearance of the building clearly goes back to the old sawtooth roof factories.
However, the sawtooth shape is more than a direct reference; the translucent triangles provide the desired rhythm, the correct proportions, the reduced incidence of light and the subtle lighting to the outside. Together with the beautiful brickwork, this creates a building to which people can relate, despite the large volume. The elaboration of the concept down to the details is essential for the architects.
The play of light, sight and rhythm is further implemented in elegant elongated skylights and in-line window frames and rolling doors. The beautiful aluminum doors and frames, the roof trims, the sills under the translucent parts and the construction parts visible from the outside are all in the same color tone. The masonry is executed with a recessed bed joint, a narrow head joint and there are two recessed brick surfaces that continue the rhythm in the façade. Finally, the translucent triangles lie in one plane with the masonry to emphasize the initial principle.
About derksen|windt architecten derksen|windt architecten is a young and distinctive architecture studio with its own signature, founded in 2008 by Jeroen Derksen and David Windt. 'We started our office because we want our vision on architecture translated into projects.
For every assignment we look for a clear and ideal starting point, a question that needs to be answered for that specific assignment. We do research and design studies in order to get as close to the perfect solution as possible. We make our designs thinking from the optimal future experience for the users. From the inside as well as from the outside. This creates a beautiful, often original, sharply detailed design.'
