This article discusses the architectural and design elements that make the aforementioned office building environmentally sensitive while providing a pleasant workspace for the building’s employees.
Education Executive Agency and Tax Offices
Unique shape, like the top of a modern cruise ship
What I Liked
Duo2, the design and engineering group responsible for the construction of this building, in collaboration with UN Studio, utilized the windy Netherlands locale to its advantage and surrounded each floor of the building’s façade with amazing white aluminum “fins.” I was impressed with what this one panacea-like architectural element can accomplish, addressing environmental concerns while contributing to energy efficiency. These fins help preserve the ecological balance of the neighboring woods by directing the wind over the tree canopy, thus preventing the problems of dry soil, damage to old-growth trees, and disturbed bat habitats. The energy-efficient fins also contribute to shading (keeping the building cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter); daylighting (workers can use less intense overhead lighting due to the reflected light); and ventilation efficiency (I thought it was particularly ingenious of the builders to use adjustable vents to capture the wind flowing off the upper-floor fins and aim it towards the building’s super-heated data center).
What Made it Helpful
The article demonstrated the ways in which a building can be sensitive to both the environment and to the physical and psychological needs of the building’s occupants. The building provides the physical need for clean (so clean, in fact, that it is “hospital-clean”), fresh air and a comfortable indoor climate. The psychological need is addressed by providing a cheerful environment to work in, one that is full of vibrant color, has a fun, quirky design (for instance, the main corridors are easily differentiated by their sizes and fresh air wafts through stylized punch-holes rather than through conventional slatted vents), and connects to the outdoors through big windows affording wonderful, “orienting” city views.
In addition, Duo2 sets the valuable example of reducing unnecessary costs (by decreasing the floor-to-floor height) in order to utilize the savings for useful green design elements, materials and equipment, such as natural heating and cooling wells. I also admired the building’s intelligent, resource-saving use of space; by using the concept of hoteling, 2,500 workstations can support 3,500 employees.
General Thoughts
The building has accomplished a great feat by addressing so many crucial needs, and I particularly admire how it had thoughtfully taken into account the locale’s climate and brilliantly utilized it in an energy-efficient and environmentally helpful manner. This edifice, aptly described as resembling such mighty forces as a whale and a ship, evokes dynamic power and serves as an excellent example of intelligent construction.
