rabobank advice centre by mecanoo has public workstations

rabobank advice centre by mecanoo has public workstations
image © christian richters

perched on a small hill in the dutch region of limburg, mecanoo has completed an advice center for the financial organization rabobank. coined the ‘westelijke mijnstreek advice centre’, the project brings together the firm’s various smaller branches within one singular and distinctive structure. taking into account input from the organization’s 320 employees, the scheme is envisioned as a knowledge sharing environment, catalyzing new initiatives and encouraging interdisciplinary engagement. the semi-public design allows self employed customers of the bank to make use of the building, further facilitating a collaborative environment.

the entirety of the project’s brushed-oak interior can be viewed upon entry
image © christian richters

based on the principles of transparency and openness, the entirety of the project’s brushed-oak interior can be viewed upon entry. the focal point of the central hall is an auditorium featuring a staircase tribune capable of accommodating flexible workspaces. enclosing this area, a transparent curtain designed by petra blaisse, runs on a 60-meter track creating diverse spaces and atmospheres depending on the positioning of the drape. staggered terraces protrude beneath the curved ceiling, winding through the expansive volume as connected white ribbons.

the scheme is envisioned as a knowledge sharing environment, encouraging interdisciplinary engagement
image © mecanoo

the whole of the ground floor, including the on-site restaurant, is open to the public, with visitors encouraged to use available workspaces – just as in a public library. above, offices are accessible only to staff, with spaces ranging from small concentration rooms to more spacious environments that enable group work. further work stations include individual zones positioned along the mezzanine and intimate pods set within the oak wall. to provide a high quality acoustic environment, the call center has its own space on the first floor with a glass separation ensuring that it is visually connected to the rest of the building.

the focal point of the central hall is an auditorium featuring a staircase tribune
image © christian richters

from an environmental perspective, the scheme utilizes residual heat from the nearby chemelot industrial zone, featuring energy saving solutions such as high insulation and triple glazing. the building also has a flat panel air conditioning system facing south, meaning that in warm weather a transparent screen automatically drops in front of the glass façade. this shield reflects the solar energy, while the sun’s heat caught between the building and the screen is mechanically extracted, ensuring that the auditorium remains cool. throughout the design, numerous skylights and a generous provision of glazing guarantees a brightly and naturally lit interior.

a range of flexible workspaces are accommodated
image © christian richters

designed by petra blaisse, a transparent curtain encloses the auditorium 
image © christian richters

a generous provision of glazing guarantees a brightly and naturally lit interior
image © christian richters

staggered terraces protrude beneath the curved ceiling, winding through the expansive volume
image © christian richters

intimate work pods are set within the oak wall
image © mecanoo

individual work stations are positioned along the mezzanine
image © mecanoo

the project brings together the firm’s various smaller branches within one singular and distinctive structure
image © christian richters

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project info:

program: 5,375 sqm advice center with a large variety of flexible workspaces and meeting rooms including restaurant and call center
client: rabobank westelijke mijnstreek, sittard
structural engineer: bartels ingenieursbureau BV, eindhoven
electrical and mechanical engineer, acoustics, building physics and fire safety consultant: nelissen ingenieursbureau BV, eindhoven
light consultant: studio rublek, schiphol
city council consultant: LPB sight, nieuwegein
technical landscape consultant: plangroep heggen BV, born
costs consultants and project management: duckers & de cock, eindhoven
design: 2011-2012
execution: 2013-2014