Reception, offices and seminar space for the Nieuwe Stad development, a mixed use masterplan designed by Jan de Vilder for Schipper Bosch in Amersfoort.
The original space, part of a toothpaste factory in the former industrial park, was characterised by six double doors symmetrically positioned along two walls, facing each other across the space.
The positioning of the doors provided a rhythm within which we have loosely organised each of the different functions; an entrance and reception space, two meeting rooms of different size and level of privacy, a kitchenette, an informal meeting space defined by the long bench running along the entire length of the glass facade, and a seminar space. The fifth door provides access to the workshops and the sixth door is replaced by a tiled kitchenette.
A glass partition lined with a yellow curtain divides the space into the lecture and seminar space on one side and open-plan space for meetings on the other. While the two spaces are connected, the ability to access the two spaces independently offers another layer of flexibility, allowing for the seminar space to be used without affecting the meeting spaces on the other side.
A family of bespoke furniture elements populate the space, a landscape of objects defining the different functions.
A contrasting collage of materials and textures range from the cool grey terrazzo, glass and polished steel, to the more tactile timber, a yellow curtain and a blue carpet.
The doors towards the entrance are double layered, with one set of doors in timber and the other in glass, offering various degrees of privacy.
- Location: Amersfoort
- Completion: 2016
- For: Schipper Bosch
- Size: 265 m²
- Photography: Antoine Espinasseau