The Dutch municipality of Noordwijk is primarily known for the presence there of the European Space Research & Technology Centre (ESTEC), the largest branch of the European Space Agency (ESA). To retain auxiliary activities, especially in the long term, and to create a vital infrastructure for this purpose, the municipality has initiated the Space Business Park, a business estate entirely devoted to knowledge-intensive, mainly aviation and space-travel-related companies. The European Space Innovation Centre (ESIC) is a collective corporation building on this park. Sustainability, flexibility, an industrial allure and an above-average price-quality ratio were important starting points in the design process for this building.
The floor areas have a U-shaped form and recede in stages under a curved roof. The heart of the building accommodates a transparently roofed atrium, extending to an external terrace. It contains communal amenities such as informal consultation spots and a small restaurant, and contributes to the possibility of chance meetings and synergy in the building. To discourage use of the lift, the main stairway, bearing steps of extruded aluminium, has been invitingly installed in a central position. Much glass in the façades and in the internal walls contributes to a general sense of spatiality and transparency, as well as more interaction between the different companies.
The design, constructions, climate facilities and building-physical aspects have been comprehensively integrated. In this process, the various advisors made intensive use of a three-dimensional Building Information Model (BIM). To support sustainability and efficiency, the building has a minimum number of technical installations. Ventilation takes place by means of an overpressure system integrated in the steel construction, which impels the air from the various units into the atrium. Here, a heat-exchange pump collects the energy from the air before it is released to the outside world. The thermally active steel-plate concrete floors maintain a comfortable temperature in the building. Other examples of integrated solutions are the rainwater drains concealed behind the opaque façade strips and an alternative fire-safety concept in which the entire building is regarded as one large fire compartment. The steel construction of the atrium roof is also a runner-guide construction to the sun-breakers there.

Project team: Hans Cool, Bart van Lieshout
Client: NL-development, Den Haag
Main contractor: Bouwteam General Contractors, Den Haag
Stability consultant: SmitWesterman, Gouda
Installations consultant: Arup, Amsterdam
Acoustics consultant: Cauberg Huygen, Amsterdam
Consultant Construction management: Bouwteam General Contractors, Den Haag
Outset construction: July 2010
Completion construction: December 2011
Gross floor area: 2.700 m2
Gross volume: 11.550 m3
Programme: multi-tenant office programme
Construction costs: € 2.900.000 incl. installations, excl. interior and VAT
Steel construction: KPK Staal, Winterswijk
Façades: VEBRU, Schiedam
Comflor floors: Dutch Engineering, Zoeterwoude
Inner walls: WZS projectrealisatie, Tiel