Office IMd, Rotterdam

Recycling is a big issue in the Netherlands today. A large proportion of the building stock is vacant, awaiting renovation or re-allocation, including premises with unsuspected qualities just waiting for people with initiative who can spot this potential. So too this steel plant on Rotterdam’s Piekstraat; not an obvious location for an office, but enjoying a unique position with views over the river Maas. What made the building attractive to IMd was the vast space, dominated by an imposing steel structure.

It was a well-considered decision to locate the work areas against the closed end walls of this former warehousing facility so as to ensure indirect daylight and a view of the surrounding area. As a result, the middle area has remained open for communal functions such as a canteen, meeting room and coffee corner. A true find is the route of stairs and footbridges that connect the office spaces and at the same time, provides a spatial experience of the building. Yet another find are the light coves above the desks, which also serve as heat buffers. Thanks to the application of basic materials – polycarbonate panels, scaffold boards, colored areas – a spectacular effect has been achieved here with a limited budget.

Best Building of the year