Discover Benelux | Top Architects in the Netherlands | Creating Quality of Life
Identity-based interiors with a smooth workflow TEXT: MICHIEL STOL | PHOTOS: FIRM ARCHITECTS
We spend a lot of time in the office, but often, they can be bleak and uninspiring. Firm architects wants to change this by creating stimulating work spaces. “We want our designs to be beautiful, benefit the employees and inspire awe in visitors,” says Niek Joanknecht, who runs Firm with partner Carolien Roos. “We start by getting to know our client, researching their identity and workflow. Designing is not just about what we think looks good or works on pictures, it is about showing who the client is,” explains Joanknecht. “Besides
that, a determined approach to project management is a necessity in the design process as well: meeting deadlines and delivering what is agreed upon.” Firm is particularly adept at designing interiors for high-end offices that reflect the client’s ambitions. “For Amvest, a real estate investor and manager, we created something that was anything but a standard office; it was all specifically designed and tailor-made. We focused on creating a natural and healthy environment that is open, light and encourages interaction. The central staircase promotes usage over the elevator which deliberately
The compass of every interior One can never judge a book by its cover, and the same goes for a home. As an interior designer, it is Ingrid Verboom’s mission to bring out the best in every house, because only when the inside feels right, will the outside shine too. Ingrid Verboom was brought up with a love for interior design, as her mother was an antiquarian. In keeping with her heritage, Verboom’s interior design firm, DWB2C, is in fact housed in the picturesque, white farmhouse which used to be her family’s antiques store. The name stands for
46 | Issue 59 | November 2018
‘De Witte Boerderij’, Dutch for ‘The White Farm’, with its house number 2C. DWB2C specialises in interior renovations for homes. Verboom’s speciality lies in her work with light. “Natural daylight can be seen as a compass in every house. Every time I enter a building, I observe where the sun comes up and where it goes down. It’s an element that I like to play with because it contributes to the atmosphere of an interior. Furthermore, windows often provide a mesmerising view to the landscape. After all, windows are the house’s eyes to the outside world.”
moves at a very slow pace and is designed like a 20-square-metre meeting room with a moving view.” The company prides itself on this strong ability to customise. “No office or company is the same, so you cannot use ‘standard’ solutions. That makes it so rewarding for us, designing something that reflects the company and lets us be as creative as possible,” smiles Joanknecht. “But most off all, we just want to have fun with our clients during the process.” Web: www.firmarchitects.com
TEXT: ELLA PUT | PHOTOS: JORICK DE KRUIF
“It might sound simple, but the most important part of my work is to listen to the wishes of my clients. Only after I discover why a client would like to renovate, move or re-decorate, I can start visualising their dream. That tiny bit of extra attention can make a massive change to the final outcome.” She adds: “I run the renovation projects from A to Z. Only after I’m done putting up the last lamp up in the house, that is when I know my work is finished.” Web: www.dwb2c.nl