Zilverparkkade
(text by Maarten Willems)

The project derives its romantic name (Silver Park Quay) from its location: the office cluster on the Zilverparkkade in Lelystad. West 8 designed the urban plan for the area in conformity with the current trend for condensed city-centres. With an idyllic wink to the 17th century Dutch canal-houses the offices are lined up shoulder to shoulder on narrow plots. In such a compact row with a strict layout the only elements to create a discriminating identity are the facades.


Photographs © Christian Richters

All four façade surfaces in the design are either entirely or partly covered with prefabricated concrete elements, symbolizing a branch-like structure. This blown-up filigree is the result of a study of infinite patterns. The works of the Dutch graphic artist Maurits Escher have been an unmistakable model. Specific skills are required to devise a repetitive pattern that, applied in a limited number of different concrete elements, constitutes a seamless entity. The craftsmanship needed to avoid the repeating units to be too obvious, has an analogy with designing rotation press patterns for textile and wallpaper.


Photographs © Christian Richters

The façade structure continues around the corners, providing the office building a recognizable identity distinct from the adjacent properties. The south and west elevation have a double layer façade with window-cleaners’ ledges in between. A profitable side-effect of these narrow balconies is their function as a barrier to prevent vertical spread of fire. As a result storey high panes of ordinary (non-heat-resistant) glass could be applied. The ledges also act as large sun protection slats. The branch structure provides an obscured vista from the outside, but from the inside the users hardly have any impairment of the view on the surroundings.


Photographs © David Rozemeyer

The concrete elements on the north and east façade are solid. The branch-pattern on these panels is applied in high relief en is highlighted by using two different shades of aggregates. The rear façade has an alternating structure of horizontal strips of textured concrete and windows, with a vertical cut splitting the building asymmetrically. This incision visualizes the zoning and subtly affects the repetition of the solid concrete panels.


Photographs © René van Zuuk Architekten bv

The construction of the Zilverparkkade-project has commenced in 2004 and will be completed by the end of 2005.


Photographs © René van Zuuk Architekten bv

Zilverparkkade Lelystad building images / information from Rene van Zuuk Architekten 050109



Lelystad Building

René van Zuuk Architekten

Zilverparkkade D - Credits:

Location: Zilverparkkade D, Lelystad / Netherlands
Client: Develop-Havelte, Lelystad / Netherlands
Program: Office building

Office: René van Zuuk Architekten b.v., Almere / Netherlands
Architect: René van Zuuk
Design team: René van Zuuk, Kersten Scheller

Master plan: West 8, Rotterdam / Netherlands

Structural Engineer: Van Rossum, Almere / Netherlands
Building Contractor: Ter Steege, Rijssen / Netherlands

Site area: 222 m²
Floor area: 1867 m²
Cubage: 6620 m³
Start of planning: 07/2002
Start of construction: 06/2004
Completion: 04/2006
Building costs: € 1.750,000

Zilverparkkade images:


Zilverparkkade Lelystad building: images from Rene van Zuuk Architects 300507

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Zilverparkkade Lelystad : page - adrian welch / isabelle lomholt