In close proximity to the (agri)food knowledge center that is forming around the leading Wageningen University, Paul de Ruiter Architects completed the Unilever Foods Innovation Center. A collaborative design process that included office staff, laboratory personnel and kitchen staff from Unilever’s former R&D facilities resulted in an airy, open-plan building that aims to promote interaction and breathe sustainability, innovation and knowledge sharing.
A six meter high light-filled atrium, covered by a glass skylight embedded with 1,550 solar panels, invites visitors to a food bar that takes the role of reception. The luscious space gives direct visual access to most functions of the building. The architects hope this will spur people to move around the facility and interact with each other.
The facility includes offices, laboratories, test kitchens, a mini factory for food experimentation, food market, restaurant, meeting rooms and an auditorium that should function as a town hall for food innovators.
Health and well-being of the 500 workforce and visitors are taken into account by calibrated admission of natural light, generous views on green surroundings, indoor air quality, acoustics and ergonomics.
The sustainability ambitions are reached by a compact building shape, highly insulated surfaces, presence detectors together with a circular economy approach to the interior. These measures earned the building a BREEAM “Outstanding” certification.
