Studio Aa has transformed a former boiler house in Amsterdam Zuid into a contemporary office for Nedvest investment company. Smart solutions, reuse and craftsmanship run like a common thread through the design. Starting point was to use minimal resources in order to create a contemporary, flexible, healthy and sustainable environment, fitting in with the character of this family business.
Already upon entering the building, the clear layout, use of robust materials and the luxurious finishing evoke a feeling of trust in the client. The office offers enough space for both meetings and privacy, and the strategic sight lines provide a sense of space. Continuity in elements, such as the steel frames and wooden stairs, provides connection and unity in the building. Starting from this solid foundation, the company has room for further personal interpretation.
Anyone who enters the Nedvest office will be surprised by the light, space and the sturdy design. The building houses spacious meeting rooms and a flexible space in the basement, a capacious open work floor, boardroom, living room, kitchen and sanitary facilities on the ground floor, and an intimate meeting room on the first floor. Real eye catchers are the dark steel frames, which are used throughout the building and which contrast beautifully with the oak and cast iron floors and light walls. Scattered around the building are four robust conference tables, each with a unique finishing. Glass, marble, steel and wood provide a solid foundation for a profitable dialogue. Special plant cabinets give a green accent and provide a healthy working environment. A sturdy staircase with wooden steps and steel railings connects the floors.
In a very short construction period and with a tight budget, architect and stylist Petra van Roon and contractor Dimitri Bouw looked for innovative solutions on the building site itself, in order to achieve maximum effect with minimum means. Central in the execution was craftsmanship. The rough steel frames are custom-made by an artisan blacksmith, and a woodcrafter transformed a tree trunk into a conference table. Smart reuse and the ‘Hacking Ikea principle’ resulted in economical solutions with a luxurious character for the remaining office furniture. Creative use of materials is also reflected in the finishing. The walls, which have a concrete look, are actually plastered with adhesive glue.
