Magazine website - Aartsen - 2023

NONSTOP GROWTH
INTERVIEW
6highlights to look out for
Jaap Bekkers (left) is a partner at Grosfeld Bekkers Van der
Velde Architects in Breda. Jan Geysen (right) is the owner
of Puur Interieurarchitecten in Antwerp. Together they
are responsible for the design of Aartsen’s headquarters
in Breda. Grosfeld Bekkers Van der Velde Architects
in Breda also designed the Aartsen Venlo office. Puur
Interieurarchitecten created the lunch zone in Aartsen
Venlo and the offices in Hong Kong.
St. Katelijne-Waver will be Aartsen’s most energyefficient
location
Doubling in size doesn’t mean that the latest location will
consume twice as much electricity. Jan: "We took a very
critical look at energy demands. With the help of an expert
in industrial construction, we thoroughly calculated how
to keep the energy requirement as low as possible. For
example, the warehouse will have a lowered roof level.
This way, we reduce the number of cubic meters that
permanently have to be cooled there." Jaap: "By insulating
the warehouses efficiently, the cooling installations at St.
Katelijne-Waver are smaller than in Breda and Venlo, and the
whole building is engineered so that energy consumption is
economically justified and efficient."
All business processes connect seamlessly with
each other
Jaap and Jan have previously been involved in Aartsen’s
construction projects and are already familiar with internal
business processes. For the enormous workplace of St.
Katelijne-Waver, everything has once again been examined
and questioned down to minor details. Jaap: "We have
incorporated all the logistical and functional aspects into
a newly designed layout. Where will the trucks dock, and
via which routes? Where do the staff and customers come
in? Where are the cash and carry and offices located?
And what does that mean for fire safety? We metaphorically
moved through every Aartsen’s departments during the
planning process to ensure we left no stone unturned."
Jan: "One revision always followed up one of the improvements
in these discussions, and in this aspect, even if the design
plans had to be adjusted again, Aartsen takes enough time
to dot the i’s and cross the t’s."
The people of Aartsen are the backbone of the company
Our starting point for the design was always: how can
we create the best structure where everyone can do their
best work and bring their A-game? Jaap: "In Sint-Katelijne
Waver, once again, a top priority was exceptional employee
facilities. At first, we thought we could accommodate all
office functions and staff facilities on two levels. Later on,
we decided to add a third layer. Now, they’ll have a staff
restaurant, a gym and a rooftop terrace! All facilities are for
both warehouse and office employees. The staff floor is also
the cherry on top of this project. We mixed very subtle but
still distinct concrete textures to finish the facade, and we
feel it’s the distinguished second layer of the building. Again
the emphasis is on Aartsen wanting the best for its people
by dedicating this to the team. The company asks a lot
of them, but they also get plenty in return."
A contemporary office space with an atmosphere
that fits the character of Aartsen
As is typical in most offices, you won’t find carpet tiles,
painted walls and a suspended ceiling in the new location.
The offices in the new site are anything but boring! In St.
Katelijne-Waver, they exude the same industrial atmosphere
as the warehouses. With concrete floors and open ceilings,
the pipes and climate control systems remain visible for a
bold and authentic industrial look. Jan: "All these techniques
have an aesthetic that we believe fits the identity and
no-nonsense personality of Aartsen. By adding wood and
plants, the spaces radiate warmth."
Appropriate facilities for international drivers
The international drivers and customers for our Cash & Carry
station have also been considered. They can enjoy a coffee
in a specially designed indoor truck stop, and there will be
sanitary facilities with which Aartsen, as a company, sets a
new standard. Jaap: "The management is fantastic, and as
architects, we were repeatedly confronted with how special
this company truly is."
St. Katelijne-Waver will look stunning
The complex is built in a beautiful high-profile location near
the Rijksweg 6 and will attract attention because of its grand
appearance. Jan: "You hire an architect to design a space,
and they can easily obtain building permits. But it’s much
rarer when an architect is hired to add architectural value to
such a building, and we feel blessed to have been hired to
do just that." Jaap: "We get the freedom to use traditional
building materials uniquely so that you will have a building
that distinguishes itself from the rest. For example, the
window cavities in the prefab concrete office facades arise
from the functional requirements of the spaces behind them.
This leads to an idiosyncratic composition in the facade, and
form meets function. The sheds are finished with standard
sandwich panels in a matt brushed aluminium finish, creating
a "soft" counterpart to the hard concrete. This facade finish
reflects the surroundings’ colour and softens the building’s
largeness." Jan: "Aartsen offered us the opportunity, time
and confidence to develop these solutions, and we came
up with a way to turn an industrial building, with all the
standard requirements, into something unique. That makes
an assignment like this just as attractive and challenging
as designing a villa."
Artist impressions of the
contemporary office space
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