Featured Project
A solid footing on an upward spiral
These steps simply invite you to climb them: In radiant white, they rise up from the entrance area of the new headquarters of Dutch manufacturing company Vreugdenhil in Nijkerk. With its dynamic form, the staircase fits impeccably into the sweeping architecture of the building and is just a little reminiscent of the famous Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. When designing the building, Maas Architects focused on fostering communication among the staff, and for this reason the structure is set out such that connecting routes often cross one another.
The central staircase from EeStairs not only encompasses all levels, but is also a truly eye-catching element. And with all eyes on it, the details need to be right – for example the design of the underside, for which a high-quality EeSoffit finish was chosen in place of plain rendering. Hence the white spiral this staircase forms is radiant from all angles and can also be cleaned problem-free. The lower broader segment also boasts a wide stir every third step, making it additionally pleasant to use. The dark wood surface of the steps themselves is in stark contrast to the otherwise white surfaces.
Alongside energetic shapes, environmental protection has also been a key theme of the design: From the energy-storage system to the 170 solar panels on the roof and the use of rain water for the toilets, sustainability was always at the forefront of this new building’s design. Breeam NL, the most widely used system of certification for the sustainable real estate business in the Netherlands, recently presented the 2,850-m² building with an award for its sparing use of resources.
