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Architects: Arnoud Olie
- Year: 2012
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Photographs:René de Wit
Text description provided by the architects. The new office building of ForTop Zwartsluis – parts manufacturer – functions simultaneously as offices and warehouse space. The building has many distinctive features and was carefully designed and detailed, making the building look nothing like a conventional office building. The original features of the building give the building a timeless character.
The design was inspired by the designs of architect Gerrit Rietveld made for a factory named Weverij de Ploeg. The curved sawtooth roofs present in Weverij de Ploeg are reflected in Fortop. The windows in the roof allow large amounts of natural light to penetrate the building. This is not only to provide employees with a pleasant workplace, but also ensures the minimum use of electricity in lighting.
Mainly durable and robust materials are used in the design: the walls are of dark brick and concrete construction, with a maximum amount of the materials left raw. This gives the new home of Fortop a machine aesthetic. The building covers a total area of 640m2, with of 400 m2 furnished office space and the remainder for storage.
In the second phase, an identical building on the plot will be built. This building will house various businesses.