Discover Benelux | Top Architects in the Netherlands | Creating Quality of Life
Team Paul de Vroom + Sputnik: Paul de Vroom, Henk Bultstra and Bert Karel Deuten.
The impressive power of simple design TEXT: ARNE ADRIAENSSENS | PHOTOS: OSSIP VAN DUIVENBODE
Since most of us spend more time in the office than the living room, its design definitely deserves some attention. Architecture firm Team Paul de Vroom + Sputnik have created a tailor-made office for one of their clients where simplicity is key, resulting in a surprisingly qualitative building. By using different levels, smart design and a fully-grown tree, they made a timeless, comfortable and qualitative working hub. Nowadays, an office is more than just a collection of desks in a clinical, white building. More and more companies opt for a homey work environment in which conference rooms and working stations go hand in hand with sofas or even a terrace. In that philosophy, the barbecue distributor Big Green Egg Europe contracted the architects Team Paul de Vroom + Sputnik to 14 | Issue 61 | January 2019
design their new office in the Netherlands. “Our team saw the light of day in 2014 when Paul de Vroom Architecten and Sputnik Architects merged,” co-founder Henk Bultstra summarises. “We create buildings that are timeless, comfortable and function perfectly. We share a preference for typological thinking, refined architectural details and clear designs. While striving towards simple quality, we don’t get caught up in modern, temporary hypes. We don’t do exclamation mark architecture.”
Colours, shadows and seasons For the headquarters of Big Green Egg, Team Paul de Vroom + Sputnik was in charge from A to Z. “That wasn’t the plan from the start,” co-founder Bert Karel Deuten explains. “Our client had seen some of our previous work. They were very enthusiastic about it and decided to ask us
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to design their own building. Along the way, they granted us more and more responsibilities, until we were in charge of everything: the architecture, the interior design and even the design of some furniture. This allowed us to create unity throughout the entire project.” From the start, it was a given that the building had to fit the needs of their client like a glove. Besides it being a pleasant and inspiring work environment for the employees,