The Police Station designed for the municipality of Schoten is a study in informality and approachability. It places itself at the service of public space. The L-shaped building is pushed back to the rearmost edge of the large plot available and helps to define a new square. When entering the building, you walk into a space dominated by two atria, visually linked to each other. One atrium is accessible to the public and contains an open reception desk, the other is in use as a staff canteen. The atmosphere of openness is further enhanced by a footbridge visible to visitors and with numerous views onto workplaces. The choice of materials helps to create informality. High-grade materials have been avoided, everything has been built from concrete blocks and wood. A saving has also been made on technical installation: the ambient indoor conditions are regulated via natural ventilation and night cooling.

Text provided by the architect.

La entrada Police Station se publicó primero en Global Spaces.

The last remaining textile factory on Buda Island an area destined to become the cultural heart of the city has been transformed into a number of multifunctional spaces. This large volume, situated in the middle of a city block, has been adapted through two main interventions.

The first hollows out a large void in the centre of the building, bringing daylight deep into the vast floor plan. This pentagonal void houses a public staircase that gives access to a diverse range of spaces on four levels: a laboratory for manufacturing, multifunctional spaces of varying sizes and lighting conditions, music venues, and a roof terrace. The biggest part of the structure is reused. Besides saving resources, the reuse allows for a large cultural building within a limited budget.

La entrada Buda Art Center se publicó primero en Global Spaces.