OFFICES COMENIUSSTRAAT

COMMISSION

At an awkward angle of a business park, adjacent to the western ring road of Alkmaar a location for the development of offices was awarded. Thunissen Select projects enabled SEED architects to get as much as possible out of the location, namely a maximum of office space and an eye catching building.

CONCEPT

WHERE OTHERS SHOUT, YOU’D BETTER BE QUIET

Driving along an industrial estate on a main road it looks like buildings shout the loudest for attention. Also here in Alkmaar. How to create a striking building without also screaming going under? The plot was also positioned at an awkward angle that seemed tucked away from the premises. And one also needs to realise so much potential lettable floor area.
The solution lay in making two stubborn office buildings that communicated with each other instead of trying to get in touch with the along driving public.

DESIGN

The spot exploited
The two offices are positioned in such a way that the heads of the buildings are both visible from the ring road side and at the business park side. This increases the findability of the buildings. These buildings are raised above a half-sunken parking deck. Because of this within the maximum permitted building height both parking and a large lettable area was achieved. The entrances to the buildings are clearly visible before the car is parked.

Tranquillity and chaos
The façade consists of a remarkable pattern of windows and facade surfaces, colour and size, proceed from a very strict to a chaotic “pattern”. This makes the building more abstract and the readability of the building layers more diffuse and thereby nullified to the standard office typology. At the heads of the buildings the main skin is interrupted by a sculpturally shaped opening which contacts the ring road and makes a visual connection between the buildings.

PROJECT INFORMATION

LOCATION:	ALKMAAR, NL
CLIENT:	THUNISSEN SELECT PROJECTS
DESIGN:	2007-2008
REALISATION:	2009
SIZE:	6.000M2 BVO, 2 OFFICE BUILDINGS ON A PARKING DECK
CONSTRUCTION COST:	€ 7880.000,- EX TAXES (2009)