Office – 8.000m²
Warehouse – 190.000m²
Site – 320.000m²
Situated in Almelo (NL) and
strategically located in the logistics hotspot Port of Twente, the site has
been developed as a multimodal logistics campus. The campus masterplan consists
of two buildings, with a total of 13 interlocking industrial units of
approximately 11.000m². Besides the application of sustainable design
principles such as prefabrication, second life, productive roofs (solar), and
an optimized building footprint, the design also incorporates the most
important global standards for logistics architecture. Optimal bay width and racking height,
multifunctional industrial mezzanines, fulfilment platforms specific to
e-commerce, ESFR sprinklers, FM Global compliance , superflat floors, automation
and lighting. However compliant with these standards, the architecture is
anything but standard. Inspiration
was taken from the rich local history. Firstly, the mystical agrarian culture
expressed in the façade of the many farmhouses in the area, almost magical in
meaning and abundant with symbols. Secondly, the textile industry which played
a major role in the industrialization of the area during the early 20th
century.
The façades of the warehouses are clad with bespoke
corrugated cladding, arranged in such a way that it appears to be a woven
textile. These patterns form the link between the historic textile industry and
the new e-commerce businesses for the modern clothing industry, housed within
the warehouses.
The industrial mezzanines are transformed
into landscape mezzanines, with the fitting integration of elevated
‘farmhouses.’ The workplace environment is enhanced with wide open views of the
surrounding landscape, roof terraces, vaulted ceilings, and an abundance of
natural daylighting.
