Sigmax | Paul de Ruiter Architects

The new head office designed for ICT company Sigmax by Architectenbureau Paul de Ruiter: a prominent, streamlined architectural structure. The uninterrupted glass facade ensures that sufficient daylight can enter the building, creating a pleasant working environment and direct contact with the surroundings. The building has been designed in the form of a stacked pavilion, whose horizontal lines and spectacular glass facade with rounded corners highlight its spacious and transparent character. The slim, floating floors seem to extend outside and are only separated by the glass, minimising the visual boundary between indoors and outdoors. The extending floor areas are designed as a vegetal roof with moss growth, optimising the impression on each floor of working in a green environment. This reflects the landscape design at ground level; the outdoor design has also been based on a completely green environment around the building. A connective building The design of Sigmax’ new building is very compact. The floors are organised as efficiently as possible, using a very flexible layout. This makes it possible to create cell offices as well as open office landscapes. The compact structure of the building, together with the atrium in the heart of the building, promotes the connection between floors and stimulates contact and ‘chance’ meetings between personnel. The aesthetics of the building’s architectural design primarily manifests itself in the spatial design of the white steel sculptural staircase, which dominates the double, welcoming entrance on the ground floor. This open and light space is used as (company) restaurant, presentation area and meeting place. A sustainable building The building has been rotated on the plot for an optimal position in relation to the sun. Each wall has its own climate concept and all the climate control is managed directly via the facade. The cantilevering of the floors varies according to the side of the building; for example on the south side they are a metre wide to act as shutters. At the bottom they have stainless steel panels which allow indirect light from the outside to penetrate deeper into the building. On each floor, optimal daylight enters the building, with a particular role for the atrium. The regulation of daylight and good climate control ensure a pleasant working environment. The forty-five centimetre high floors incorporate climate units, concrete core activation, sun protection and ventilation. All the installations are concealed where possible. Interiors Inside the building Ex Interiors has extended the open character of the building in order to optimally emphasize its spacious and transparent nature. Through the predominantly glass interior walls, there is a constant connection between indoors and outdoors. The few closed panel walls are covered with sound-absorbing wall coverings designed by Ex Interiors: strips of colourful felt in a matching colour combination made from recycled textiles from the car industry and old carpets that have been pressed together and felted. Strips were then cut from the felt and incorporated in the acoustic panels. The floors are partially carpeted, with a pattern specially designed for this project. The entire building is lit with sustainable LED lighting. The lighting fixtures, round disks in different diameters, are applied in a varying pattern throughout the building, which ensures surprising light effects, particularly in the evening. Architectenbureau Paul de Ruiter, in partnership with Ex Interiors, has achieved a compact, sustainable and high quality office building. A building with appeal, in which architecture, interior design and material use are completely in balance.