The natural surroundings of the Estate were considered during the development of the new office. The design and construction are centred around principles of nature and biomimicry. Biomimetic architecture seeks solutions for sustainability in nature by following its set of principles and using it as a model, taking inspiration from natural designs and processes. Building heights have been adjusted to remain below the treeline. Bat flight routes were respected, and a special light plan was developed to prevent disorientation and to protect fauna. 

The energy-neutral building consists of sustainable materials and a demountable, wood-hybrid construction, which was designed by Rau Architects and constructed by JP van Eesteren. This creates the possibility to completely disassemble and reconstruct the office at another location. The project also includes a BIM-based Material Passport: this provides a record of all the materials used within the building, which stimulates the re-use end of their first life. The extensive use of renewable energy - reflected in over 3,000m2 of solar panels, the world’s first and largest bidirectional solar charging point for 120 electric cars, as well as heat and cold storage - contributes to the energy neutrality of the building.  

The interior reflects the beauty of the surrounding landscape. The choice of organic forms, refined materials and soft use of colour, ensure a natural stillness upon entering the building and reinforce the fusion with the environment. The wooden cores and ceilings inspired by the shape of a mushroom emphasise nature from outside and lead to an integrated refinement in the building. By choosing as few materials as possible, a maximum experience of the larger whole is created.

Aside from its outstanding construction and design, the value of the new Triodos office is the new impulse it delivers to its natural surroundings; a true reflection of the values of Triodos, one of the world's most sustainable banks. The company will move into the building in November.

At the Reehorst estate in Driebergen, a wooden cathedral has arisen which completely blends in with its surroundings. The new Triodos Bank branch has an affect on everyone who visits, works on confers here. Peace and quiet, serenity and being one with nature occurs and is present all around. Interior designer Odette Ex: “Its tranquillity is what makes this building breathe.” Triodos Bank, RAU Architects and Ex Interiors worked together on this Gesamtkunstwerk for seven years. Gispen furnished the building and created a fully circular interior. 

The Triodos Bank is growing rapidly, which is why the bank has built a new branch on Landgoed De Reehorst, an estate right besides Driebergen-Zeist railway station, where the bank was established forty years ago. In keeping with Triodos' vision, it is a fully sustainable office building. The entire estate has been developed from a vision in which nature, culture and economy should be in absolute harmony with one another. The unique building, which perfectly blends with its surroundings, is the epitome of this vision and was crowned Office Building of the Year at the Architectenweb Awards 2019.

Distinct division of inner and outer ring
In a joint effort, RAU architecten and Ex Interiors developed a design concept for the new, five-storey office building. The large ground floor is semi-public; in addition to a restaurant, there is a meeting centre intended primarily for visitors. The first floor is all about collaboration, where employees can meet up and work on projects together, for example. This collaborative environment is clearly divided into an inner and outer ring; consultation areas are placed in the outer ring, where people feel closely connected to the surrounding nature. The pantries and concentration areas are situated in the inner ring. The workstations for the Triodos Bank employees are installed at the three towers. It also holds true for this area that the workstations are purposely oriented towards the surrounding nature, with an inner which is provided with a functional zone with pantries, phone booths and concentration zones.

Organic shapes, sophisticated materials
The building is characterised by its openness and transparency (working as if you were in the surrounding forest!) and an extraordinary reception of light. The organic shapes, sophisticated materials and subtle use of colour brings about a natural stillness when entering the building and enhances how the building merges with its surroundings. Interior designer Odette Ex who, in her own words, sculpted the building as an artist rather than an architect: “This is the perfect example of how interior architecture and nature fully reinforce one another.”

In touch with nature
Odette: “From the first moment on, we as a team wanted to create a building that connects heaven and earth. A design that interconnects with nature. If you ask me, this is exactly what circularity stands for: it's not all about materials, it also involves being in touch with nature. This is something we have drifted away from. It truly affects you when you are surrounded by genuine materials at your place of work. At the Reehorst estate, we wanted to create a healthy work environment in which we sought perfection but also embraced imperfection. It was precisely the vulnerability of everything that we wanted to show. We installed linen walls to improve the acoustics, for example. By selecting materials based on their authenticity, an extra dimension was added to the building, creating an integrated design which contributes to the peace and serenity of the building.”

Circular highlights
It was up to Gispen to completely furnish the building in a circular manner. We supplied all the separate pieces of furniture, which were partly new, and partly reused and refurbished. In addition, we provided many custom solutions. Our carefully selected team realised the delivery of all the furniture within 5 weeks.

Approximately 400 existing workstations are reused. We were able to reuse the frames, refurbish all the tabletops and added clever components to the desks to neatly and safely tuck away any wires and cables. All the oval conference tables were upgraded. One eye-catching conference table of no less than 7 metres and 20 centimetres long was shortened to 6 metres and was refinished. Moreover, all the existing seats have been reupholstered. Gispen CIMO is installed in the special cubicles: our circular, modular desk collection with cradle-to-cradle certified office chairs by Herman Miller.

Highlights of the many custom solutions which are realised: a long tailormade wooden workbench, a cabinet made of tree trunks, a wooden stand on both the ground floor and the first floor and two tables made of concrete ciré on the ground floor.

For this new circulair and sustainable headquarter of Triodos Bank in Zeist, we produced 350 double-curved composite facade elements and canopies. Just like the building, these elements are detachable.