Regiocentrale Zuid | Wiel Arets Architects

Regiocentrale Zuid is located on the river Meuse, which is a water source for drinking, industry, ag- riculture, wildlife, recreation, as well as inland shipping. The prominently sited building houses the control of levees on this section of the Meuse for the first time in one location, thereby becoming a key component of regional and national water management strategy. Barges, bridges, and lock- sluices between Maastricht and Venlo will be directed from the operational center, the space of which determines the primary volume of the building. This polygonal volume, with its rounded cor- ners, hovers above the water pool at grade, and both the staff and the public access the building by crossing bridges beneath the generous cantilevers. Besides the operational center, the build- ing also houses a lobby, nautical training facility, and public educational spaces. At the center of the building, an inner polygonal void is filled with water, and as such is a constant reminder of the water control of the lock-sluices that takes place within the building. As the building is in constant use, day and night, its occupants are provided with the ability to regulate the light, sound, and view within their spaces, imparting a domestic quality to the workplace, while a roof terrace offers pan- oramic views.