ArchShowcase 
Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Stibbe Headquarters in Amsterdam, Netherlands by JO COENEN architect & urbanistDecember 20th, 2018 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: JO COENEN architect & urbanist Stibbe headquarter’s urban context is characterized by the variety of spheres and different scale levels: to the east, the location is a continuation of Amsterdam’s South Axis, whereas the north side is mainly characterized by the A10 highway. On the west side the Beethoven Street is the main route to the city centre while the east side is literally situated in the Beatrix Park. Characteristic of the urban design by Danish Henning Larsens are the organic footprints. This visual language allows for the park to find continuation around the buildings and to be visible and palpable from the Beethoven Street. The flowing lines of the romantic, classic English garden like Beatrixpark, find continuation in the architectural appearance.  Image Courtesy © Jorrit Lousberg
 Image Courtesy © Jorrit Lousberg The volume of 14.500m2, with its 9, rather high, levels, has a scale that participates in the definition of the skyline of Amsterdam’s Zuidas. The observant viewer also quickly recognizes the human scale in the outspoken transparent plinth, where natural stone and glass are the dominating materials, but also when looking at the floors which, while one goes up, disappear, deflect or are provided with setbacks. Crown to the building is the oval conference room which has been extra articulated and lifted by means of a steel frame and a canopy.  Image Courtesy © Frans van Hanswijk The most public functions are located on the lower floors. A café is placed at the south west corner, allowing the city to enter the building, a 100 seat large auditorium is located at the park side, giving visitors the possibility of stepping outside while standing on the terrace, slightly elevated from the terrain and therefor offering beautiful views overlooking the park. The building’s restaurant is placed on the first floor, in close communication with the outdoor terrace and the auditorium, and with a good connection to the kitchen and supply areas on the ground floor in the north part of the building. The middle part of the building, from the 2nd to the 7th floor is basically the area where the major part of Stibbe’s employees work. This part of the façade is made of curved curtain glass walls with vertical aluminium elements for shading which, depending on where one stands, show the many different aspects of the building.  Image Courtesy © Frans van Hanswijk The upper levels, in which set backs are created, are reserved for external meeting areas and, on the top floor of the building, the oval partners meeting room. From the inside, the building is organized around a triangular 8 floor high atrium. Open office spaces, as well as communal areas are – per floor – organized around this atrium, providing spectacular views and transparency, symbolic for the way lawyers nowadays work. Natural stone, glass, wood and steel are the dominating materials for this atrium in which the steel structure is the main, eye-catching element.  Image Courtesy © Frans van Hanswijk
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Tags: Amsterdam, Netherlands Categories: Headquarters, Office space |
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