MBO Raad Woerden in Houttuinlaan, Netherlands by COEN! Design Agency

The ‘MBO Raad’ is the Dutch Association of VET Colleges. The association represents all government-­-funded colleges for secondary vocational education and training and adult education in the Netherlands. The entrance to the building of this educational organization is highlighted by a colourful arch. COEN! created this art object called ‘gate to the future’, symbolizing the access to education.

MBO Raad Woerden entrance highlighted by a colorful arch

• Architects: COEN! Design Agency
• Project: MBO Raad Woerden: colourful office landscape with ‘identity layer’
• Location: Houttuinlaan 1, Woerden, Netherlands
• Client: MBO Raad, Woerden
• (Interior)Architect: Bos en Alkemade, Frans Alkemade en Fred Bos, IJsselstein
• Identity/Interior Designer: COEN! design agency, Coen van Ham, Roy van de Meulengraaf, Eindhoven
• Project Leader: Van Aarle de Laat, Germaine Zielstra, Bilthoven
• Constructor: BAM/HABO, The Hague
• Interior Builder: Gielissen, Eindhoven
• Floor: 2752 m2
• Start Design: 2009
• Delivery: 2010
• Software used: Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop for design

Entrance View

Details

• Spacious: there are no hallways in this project, all spaces combine with each other
• Special: 300m2 special printed patterns are place don walls in this building
• Colourful: eight colours form a harmonic whole: white, brown, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and black.
• Economic: only energy efficient lighting is placed in this building, working on motion detectors.
• Cosy: 100 special designed hanging lamps create a cosy atmosphere
• Identity: the specific identity of the ‘MBO Raad’ is evident throughout the head office.
• Whole: all three wings of the tripod shaped buildings have been integrated to form a coherent and recognizable environment.
• Arty: The characteristic items used for the design are at the interface between applied and autonomous art.
• Timeless: the interior design is timeless and open with colourful accents.
• Affordable: in spite of the limited budget available, it was possible to create a powerful concept.

Toilet

This office space was re-­-created by COEN! to form a light, colourful and attractive working environment, The designs for the corporate identity, product and interior are all based on one consistent and powerful concept. Coen: “An appropriate colour combination can greatly enhance a good working environment. Colour elements can enhance and focus attention on the identity of this customer.”

Everyone is unique. COEN! has the expertise needed to translate this uniqueness into a consistent and powerful corporate identity which fits like a glove. That´s why I started workshops to let clients discover their unique identity. This makes it for me easier to create afterwards an identity that reflects the soul of the company. So this identity lasts longer and communicates stronger. And, more important, the company creates an identity inside out instead of outside in. This has lead to this interior that feels like home for the employees: they have created it together with our agency and the architect.

Restaurant

Our agency designed also sixteen colourful patterns for this organisation, representing the various professional fields. All VET colleges are representing one or more professional fields like trade, communication, transport etc. These patterns have been printed on wall coverings and furniture. This total approach makes it a project with an strong ‘identity layer’.

Office2

Coen: “Why am I so proud on this design? Because in this design, I combine communication, interior design, product design, graphic design and art into a strong image that reflects the identity of the organization. I call this the identity layer. By the way: all other projects of my studio or made by dear colleagues as Marcel Wanders, Phillipe Starck and for example Ron Arad that carry this perfect ´identity layer´ that fits like a glove make me very proud.”

Office1

COEN!?
Coen van Ham (1971) is a Dutch conceptual designer, architectural designer and source of creative inspiration. He studied at the renowned Design Academy in Eindhoven. COEN! is one of the leading agencies in the Netherlands on account of its innovative concepts, stunning designs and inspiring workshops. His style is colourful, graphic, sober and communicating. COEN! shapes and guards over identity. Designs for your works of art, corporate identity, product and interior are all based in a powerful and unique concept. Designs by Coen van Ham have been included in several design and art collections. His work was shown in a diverse range of exhibitions worldwide. Coen’s work has been featured in numerous magazines and books.

Lounge

Curious? Experience more of his inspiring projects at www.coen.info.

Interior View

Boardroom2

Boardroom1

Tags: Houttuinlaan, Netherlands

Categories: Illustrator, Offices, Photoshop

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 7th, 2011 at 4:35 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.