Van-Spaendonck-Ondernemingshuis

The Van Spaendonck Enterprise House in Tilburg, formerly named The Corpac House, stems from 1968. The original building was designed by the Rotterdam office Van den Broek & Bakema. In later years, this split-level edifice composed of two volumes at different height levels was expanded with several additions. In a variety of aspects such as climate, user experience and functionality, the complex no longer met contemporary standards though. From 2014 to 2017 the multitenant office block for enterprise supporting organizations was radically revitalized by cepezed and cepezedinterior.

cooperation

The motto for the renewed enterprise house was derived from the Roman historian Sallust (86-35 BC) and reads: Cooperation makes small things grow. Therefore, the transformation importantly focussed on enabling encounters and stimulating the sharing of visions and ideas. Also, client the Van Spaendonck Groep wanted a building with a modern-day élan and truly sustainable in all respects. Current themes such as hospitality, representativeness, effectiveness, professionality, convenience, transparency, flexibility and an optimal support of the work processes all played an important role in this.

effective interventions

cepezed’s approach was based on efficient, effective and well-considered interventions. For instance, right at the project start, the office made a thorough inventory of the existing situation and the possibilities it included. For several construction segments, cepezed researched the cost-effectiveness of demolition and preservation. This showed that it was more profitable to preserve a particular addition that the client had actually nominated for demolition. It turned out that with minimal adjustments, the addition could easily blend in with the setup and aesthetics of the renewed enterprise house, thus rendering demolition a waste of resources. In the new situation, the segment houses several support functions such as the kitchen, storage, archives and mail room. Hence, these do not occupy valuable floor space in the original Van den Broek en Bakema section, leaving that fully available for letting offices with an agreeable experience and functionality. This importantly adds to an optimised return on investment.

characteristic façade

The renewed façade is based on the horizontal, very characteristic rhythm and articulation of the existing one, which was composed of strip windows with transoms and parapets of Triassic limestone. The new outer walls have the same proportion of closed and transparent elements as the old one, but with an outer finishing of aluminium and a minimalistic detailing, it has strikingly modern looks. Whereas the original façade included a difference in depth between the closed elements and the windows above them, in the new one these two are in the same vertical surface, thus adding to a smooth appearance. While in the original façade the glass sections existing situation of the windows and transoms were in the same surface, the transoms are now positioned a bit more inward. This brings about a difference in depth that is both intriguing and softening. Of course, the new skin guarantees high-grade construction physics, while the existing one was not even insulated in any way.