Education Executive Agency & Tax Offices by UNStudio

Every website and magazine after Marcus Fair, has written about this new project, because the results already show that building like the most environmental-friendly in Europe. The aesthetic is unique and would be curious to know how it works and how to live in this habitat is. But we must be satisfied with a brief description of the project for the moment. The Groningen tower is a new asymmetric complex of undulating curves – 92 metres tall -  projected  by Unstudio . The design is so original that is hard to believe that the project was born to answer not only to an aesthetical issue.

Indeed is designed to focus on sustainability with the intent to decrease C02 emissions and to use the public funds on more efficient way .The aerodynamic shape of the building has been achieved as the result of extensive sun and wind studies. The terraces, rounded corners and façade design guarantee minimum disruption to the microclimate of the surrounding urban green space, known as the ‘Sterrenbos’, whilst integrating sun shading, wind regulation, daylight penetration, with the result that both material and energy used are minimised.

Indeed the dutch studio with consortium DUO²,  has realized one of the most sustainable office buildings in Europe. The global project and maintenance of the building was hosted by a consortium consisting of Strukton, Ballast Nedam and John Laing. This consortium won the competition for the project on the basis of a combination of esthetic, technical and financial criteria. UNStudio, as the architect of the project, collaborated with Lodewijk Baljon for the landscape design, Arup for the engineering and Studio Linse as the interior advisor.

The project includes the design, construction and financing of two public institutions; the Education Executive Agency and the Tax Offices. The design reflects the separate identities of both user groups, although a part of the complex is common (underground parking facilities, public gardens, a central hall and a pavilion for commercial functions).

The great team of experts including architects, engineers, technicians who gave this great result has given us yet another demonstration that sustainable building can be “economical” and beautiful, so thanks to:

Client of the consortium: Dutch Government Buildings Agency (RGD)
Client UNStudio: Consortium DUO² (Strukton, Ballast Nedam, John Laing)
Program: Office building (phase A); underground parking (phase B); public city garden, pavilion (phase C)
Building surface: 48.040m² offices, 21.000m² parking, 1.500m² pavilion
Building volume: 215.000m³
Building site: 31.134m²
Status: Completed

UNStudio: Ben van Berkel, Caroline Bos, Gerard Loozekoot with Jacques van Wijk, Frans van Vuure, Lars Nixdorff and Jesca de Vries, Ramon van der Heijden, Alicja Mielcarek, Eric den Eerzamen, Wendy van der Knijff, Machiel Wafelbakker, Timothy Mitanidis, Maud van Hees, Pablo Herrera Paskevicius, Martijn Prins, Natalie Balini, Peter Moerland, Arjan van der Bliek, Alexander Hugo, Gary Freedman, Jack Chen, Remco de Hoog, Willi van Mulken, Yuri Werner, Machteld Kors, Leon Bloemendaal, Erwin Horstmanshof.
Consortium DUO2, Partners:
Strukton Integrale Projecten BV, Ballast Nedam Concessies B.V, John Laing Infrastructure Limited

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Designteam:
UNStudio, architecture and interior
Studio Linse, interior
Arup, structure, installations
Lodewijk Baljon, landscaping
Buro van Baar, wayfinding
YNNO, internal logistics
Consultants:
DGMR, acoustics
EFPC, fire prevention
Ingenieursbureau Wassenaar, prefab structure
BTS Bouwkundig Tekenburo Sneek, drawing agency
ISS Nederland B.V, maintenance
Peutz, environmental technology
WUR (Wageningen University & Research centre), ecology
Strukton Bouw en Vastgoed, management and costing
Strukton Betonbouw, construction
Strukton WorkSphere, installations