Architecture and urbanism studio JvantSpijker has redesigned a former steam factory in Rotterdam, transforming its main space into an open plan office. Located in the city’s Delfshaven neighborhood, the project is organized around a glazed meeting room topped with an indoor garden.

The scheme is situated inside a waterfront building called ‘De fabriek van Delfshaven’. In recent years, the multi-tenant facility has developed a vibrant working community hosting a variety of design studios and software companies.

‘The central design idea behind the transformation of the office was to keep the scale, transparency and lightness in place and to connect the office to the main atrium of the building‘, explains the design team. ‘Therefore the central element was designed as a hybrid between a room, a wall and a piece of furniture; it divides, connects and provides service space.’

Behind the enclosed meeting room, a small flight of stairs leads to a garden that provides a space to relax during hectic working days. The use of large plants helps to absorb sound, creating an intimate and quiet environment. In terms of materials, only lacquered plywood and glass were used; with two steel columns proving support in the corners of the meeting room.

The rough and natural exposure of the wood contrasts with the frameless detailing of the glass, which emphasizes the floating character of the garden above. The meeting room is acoustically insulated from the rest of the office space, providing a suitable area for private meetings and telephone calls.

Design: JvantSpijker Urbanism Architecture Research / Jaakko van’t Spijker / Paul van den Bergh/ Julio Gil / Casper Aussems
Photography: René de Wit

via designboom