For Nature's Pride, one of the largest Dutch importers of exotic fruits and vegetables, we designed a sustainable distribution and processing center in Maasdijk. The building received a BREEAM Excellent certificate, which makes it belong to the top 5 most sustainable distribution centers of Western Europe.

A logistical machine where vegetables and fruits arrive and depart Our design functions as a transition zone for products that are carried into the building on the north side via fourteen loading docks, and transported via the same amount of loading docks on the east side. Products are unpacked in the zone behind the reception. After being unpacked they either get stored on the ground floor or moved to the first floor to the packaging department. The so-called ripening areas are located there too. We made sure the packaging department is visually in touch with the offices on the first floor. In the tower, which is covered with vegetation, we implemented the waste processing system.

Ready for the future We came up with a flexible frame which is adjustable with minimal interventions. Recesses in the floor can easily be closed, emergency staircases can be moved and the floor at the packaging department can be loaded more heavily. All together it enables to building to fulfill a completely different function if required in the future.

Parking next to vegetation on the roof On the roof we made space for parking with charging stations for electric vehicles. Next to it we designed a spacious 2.000 m2 green roof with a bee hotel, and bird houses for the swift. Together with the Dutch Butterfly Conservation we realized a butterfly roof garden that can be used for research. The rainwater coming from the green roofs is connected to the sewer via a greywater buffer. An indoor greywater buffer is used for flushing the toilets and cleaning operations.