Renovation of office building with captivating rhythmic façade

Jet black Linarte profiles in random composition as a visual calling card

A company working out technically sophisticated solutions wants to communicate this to the outside world with an appropriate visual business card. The same was true for RE-AVES in Helmond (NL). Managing Director Reinier Vogels bought a building a few years back to completely gut it and make it ready for the next 20 years (or more). Spaces were opened up, everything was finished down to the smallest detail, and the Linarte façade with random profiling was the crowning touch.

To catapult the company building in Helmond to the present day, RE-AVES contacted fellow native LXarchitects. The property was completely gutted. The interior evolved from closed to open, including the integration of glass sections. The workstations were modernised, the steel structure coated, and the concrete floor coated. And the façade also underwent a transformation. “When the building was erected, concrete bricks were really the trend in this region,” explains architect Bas Knapen. “That didn’t fit the look the client had in mind.”

LXarchitects explored the possibilities. Bas compared materials and colours, also considered wooden variants. “The choice eventually fell on aluminium combined with stucco. This provides a nice contrast, isn’t as commonplace, and will stand the test of time. The neutral black and white colour palette also repeats itself in the interior, where we added warmth through natural materials.”

Visually immediately convinced

The architect deliberately sought a changing rhythm for the new façade. A private home in the city with a Linarte façade visually convinced its client. “Bas’s 3D renderings and samples did give us a good idea,” says client Reinier Vogels. “Still, we did have to wait a little before we could see how it was going to turn out, given the large surface area. So far, we are very satisfied and get very positive feedback. In time, we want to rent out the upper floor to other businesses. I am sure that our dynamic façade, in addition to its strategic location, will be an additional asset in this regard. Our building is a real eye-catcher in the greenery.”

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