LOCATION

The location is a c. 100-metre long, narrow lot in a semi-industrial zone in Tiel, which is bordered on three sides by a road. The building is free-standing and meaningful from three sides. On the fourth side, a hedge of pollarded lime trees hides the neighbouring fire station from view.

Arjo Nederland employs approx. 80 people, 30 of which work in the office on a daily basis. In the old offices, the company dealt with a chronic excess of space, as ten work stations would remain unmanned every day. In the newbuild, the principal required 30 work stations, which, in accordance with the Veldhoen concept, could be distributed freely among the company's 80 employees, depending on their activities. This concept was a fascinating challenge, as regards interior architecture and composition.

The composition of the Arjo office building is “explanatory”: the building itself shares the work method and “production process” with customers and employees.
Four free-standing volumes – in which four different function clusters are accommodated – have thus been placed across from one another, resulting in an a-volume on the groundfloor. It is this central void, with restaurant and presentation room – which confers significance and unity onto the remaining volumes. On the south facade, a glass lower facade makes up the fourth, missing wall of the a-volume, which creates a surprising “box in a box” effect and results in an connection between the office building and the outside world.

Each of the four volumes has its own use, which is rendered explicit through it shape, orientation and materials. This character is noticeable on the inside and outside, as the outside cladding is also used inside.
The “floating” office beam – clad with bronze-metallic panels – almost reaches to the street and invites visitors to enter. The access path runs under the office beam, under Maas stones and a jeu de boules court.
A dark, brick volume glides under the office beam perpendicular to it. This is where the training space and kitchen and storage space are located, which are separated from one another by the entrance.

On the first floor, a bridge provides access to the “technique tower", the warehouse block and the offices. The warehouse block is used for the storage and archive space and the technical department. It is clad with vertical aluminium sandwich panels. The facilities, server space, phone exchange, copy room and elevator, as well as the technical room on the second floor are located in the “technique tower” in dark brick. 

A BUILDING WITH TWO FACES

ARJO was bursting at the seams and after a few years already required larger offices. The most important criterion for this design was to maintain the company’s 24 parking spaces and to create 15 work stations.

In order to expand the company’s premises, the warehouse volume has been extended. It has been tapered, so that the existing parking spaces could be maintained. A spectacular suspended steel construction provides a column-free area under the building. The tapered structure results in different floor levels within and also serves to end the head façade.

The extension measures 12 m by 15 m. In order to ensure that sufficient daylight can fall in, an outside 16m²-patio has been created in the middle of the building, made of glass. This results in a transparent entity, bathed in daylight and several interesting views.

The extension has yielded a supplementary 245m² of office space. LLOX has satisfied the schedule of requirements by creating 27 parking spaces and 24 work stations.

ARJO uses a flexible work concept. This means that nobody has a fixed work station. This concept was continued in the extension. Thirteen open work stations alternate with five single concentration work stations, a double concentration work station, and two double lounge spaces. These work stations taken on an identity of their own due to different styles and ceiling heights.
There is also a meeting room with a capacity of six persons. The inside walls also contribute to the building's transparent character and are entirely made of glass, of which sections have been sanded in order to maintain privacy.

In view of the fact that the two office sections are now separated, an intermediate floor in the warehouse is used to connect both entities. Here employees can drink coffee, relax, play darts or table football.

The building now has two faces.
When people drive up to the building, they see the offices on piles and the inviting entrance. As one walks past the building, the various volumes are easy to see for all. The building no longer has a back facade, but a surprising and transparent office space.