Océ, Venlo | Client chooses nine-story square building

Green plazas at core of new headquarters

Océ is building a new headquarters in Venlo, right in the middle of greenery and close to existing buildings. The design by architecture firm Broekbakema provides for a compact and tall building with nine floors, a floor area of 15,500 m² and space for about five hundred and fifty employees. The interior gardens in the building, known as Green Plazas, connect employees and visitors and provide continuous contact with the environment. Construction group BAM began work on the building in May 2018, which is scheduled for completion in March 2020.

Océ, part of the Canon Group, develops and manufactures high-tech printers and workflow software for the commercial printing market. The company decided several years ago to invest in a new building for its Dutch site in Venlo. "The preliminary process actually started back in 2015. We then developed different models for the new building: flat, oblong, compact and high, .... In the end, Océ chose a nine-story square building," says Marius Voets of architectural firm Broekbakema. "The so-called Green Plaza's form the core of our design. They are meeting places, designed as interior gardens, where people can hold meetings, meet for an informal chat over coffee or just connect when visiting the restroom. The green courtyards are interconnected by means of the main staircases and also always twist 90° in relation to the central atrium. Thus, in each courtyard one gets a different view of the surrounding forest and on the higher levels even of the surroundings."

A view of the inside of the new office. (Image: Fred Sonnega)

The Green Plaza's or green courtyards are meeting places, where people can hold meetings, meet for an informal chat over coffee or just connect while visiting the restroom.

Transparent building realized on a tight schedule

The architect and client opted for an open and transparent building, which in addition to the offices also includes a publicly accessible conference center, a foyer, a restaurant and meeting facilities. Large areas of glass provide pleasant light and an unrestricted view of the surroundings. Even the roof consists largely of glass. BAM was commissioned to realize the integral project with building and site design. "Between March and November 2017, together with the architect and client, we optimized the concept of this project. Then, together with the partners Staalbouw Nagelhout Bakhuizen and Blitta Gevelystemen, our engineers worked out the concept and converted it to a 3D model," says Joost Wieland, project manager at BAM Bouw en Techniek. "In early October 2018, the first foundation piles were drilled into the ground and we reached the highest point just before this year's construction vacations. Among other things, we are using prefabricated elements during the construction process. Such as the pipe shafts, which are assembled in a nearby factory and delivered to the construction site complete and assembled. We are also integrating our modular distribution tracks, where all necessary components such as central heating and GWK piping are already assembled in the modules at the factory. In the coming months, the façade and roof will be sealed and the interior finishing will follow, after which the new office will be delivered in March 2020."

The Green Plaza's or green courtyards are meeting places, where people can hold meetings, meet for an informal chat over coffee or just connect while visiting the restroom.

3D model as an additional asset

In addition to the aesthetic and functional aspect of the design, energy consumption was of course considered. Maximum use is made of the roof for the installation of PV panels, and PV cells are integrated into the glass roof cap of the atrium. Furthermore, energy-efficient LED lighting and a high degree of daylighting were chosen. "For the realization of this project, we used the latest digital techniques," concludes the project manager. "The entire building was worked out in a 3D model, which not only provides added value in the construction process, but is also extremely suitable for visualizations and virtual reality."   

Océ's new headquarters in Venlo is a nine-story square building where transparency and views of the surroundings are very important.