Galileo Reference Centre in Noordwijk Building

Galileo Reference Centre Noordwijk Building, South Holland Design Project, Architects, Images

Galileo Reference Centre in Noordwijk

Dutch Architecture Development – design by de Architekten Cie. in The Netherlands

23 Aug 2016

Galileo Reference Centre Building in Noordwijk

Location: Noordwijk Space Business Park, province of South Holland, The Netherlands

Design: de Architekten Cie.

Galileo Reference Centre in Noordwijk

The Galileo Reference Centre, located in Noordwijk Space Business Park, is a 1500 m2 free standing building, according to this Dutch architecture practice. The centre will receive data from the Galileo satellite system. The development of a non-military Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is founded by the partnership between the European Union (EU) and the European Space Agency ESA.

Galileo Reference Centre in Noordwijk

The elongated two-storey building on the edge of the dunes contains mainly offices with support facilities and several computer rooms. The entrance lobby acts as the social heart of the building and enhance connectivity. The lobby is designed similarly to furniture and functions both as a staircase to the first floor as well as an occupiable space with green terraces and integrated facility services. It makes the entrance lobby a place to meet, start the day, and receive visitors.

The functional areas are positioned along a wide corridor in a grid of 3.60 m. Along this corridor are two patio areas situated to bring greenery and wildlife of the surrounding area into the building. Galileo is designed to be both flexible and transparent, where natural light and views provide reference points.

Galileo Reference Centre in Noordwijk

The Galileo building is unique because of its circular and sustainable design. The ambition is to create a waste-free and resilient building in which the materials used are chosen for future reuse. Partly for this reason, wood has been chosen as the primary building material. Both the main structure, first floor, and roof are made of oversized composite, prefabricated, pine elements.

Dutch Architecture design by de Architekten Cie.

The benefits are threefold:

1. the lightness of the support structure allows the building to rest on sand,

2. the construction is over-dimensioned, allowing the structural columns in the corridor area to act also as wooden partition element, and

3. the modular prefabrication design yields a timely, minimal waste construction.

Noordwijk Architecture by de Architekten Cie.

The facade is composed of a pattern of exchangeable elements which have been designed in three versions; transparent, semi-transparent, and opaque. The system allows the building to be transparent and engaging, or closed and introverted, in the required areas. The function of the areas can easily be converted in the future by interchanging the elements types. This makes the building flexible and future-proof.

Galileo Reference Centre in Noordwijk

The building is energy conscious. A series of measurements, including the reuse of the energy generated by the heat of computer servers, concluded the building will be 35% more energy efficient than required by current building regulations.

The building will be completed in record time; It must be in use on July 1st 2017.

de Architekten Cie.

Website: Galileo Reference Centre by de Architekten Cie. – project post by architects office

Space Business Innovation Centre Noordwijk  

Address: Kapteynstraat 1, 2201 BB Noordwijk, Netherlands
Phone: +31 71 202 0307

Architecture in The Netherlands

Contemporary Dutch Architecture

Netherlands Architecture Designs – chronological list

Dutch Architecture News

Amsterdam Architecture Walking Tours by e-architect

Crazy Pianos, Strandweg, Den Haag
Interior Design by EL EQUIPO CREATIVO
Crazy Pianos Club The Hague Holland
image courtesy of architects office
Crazy Pianos Club in the Hague

The Grace Towers, The Hague, Holland
Architects: Mecanoo architecten, Delft
The Grace Towers in The Hague - Dutch Architecture News
image Courtesy architecture office
The Grace Towers in the Hague

Dutch Architecture

Comments / photos for the Galileo Reference Centre in Noordwijk Building page welcome