Look inside the open airy work environment for Radboudumc I Gispen

Several teams of the Primary Healthcare department of Radboudumc were spread out across the city of Nijmegen. Since 2018, they have all been accommodated in the so-called Study Centre, which is housed in a listed university building. This is where Woensdregt Holtz Architects designed a new interior for the office environment, which is fully in line with the (design) principles of the new Radboud Work Environment. Gispen supplied the furniture.

Office environment in a single location

The need for a better workspace and the dispersal of the various Primary Healthcare teams had led, among other things, to the need for an office environment in a single location. It was the department’s wish to bring all the teams and staff together at the Study Centre, housed in a listed university building. This building of the fifties was designed according to the architectural principles of the Bossche School. Woensdregt Holtz Architects was given the task to produce the design, whom had previously upgraded and restyled the main entrance.

Interesting and valuable building

This was not the first time that the Study Centre was a subject of study for the architect. ‘To this end, we came up with a development vision for the phased modernisation of this interesting and valuable building. Our contribution was to take the building’s somewhat melancholic atmosphere and turn it into an open and airy work environment, while respecting the quality which is all around’, according to Wim Woensdregt, the architect who produced the interior design and developed the structural components. The design concept for the new office environment can be described as follows: shifting from a lively entrance to more tranquil and focussed areas. ‘Silence gradually increases when you enter the office area and walk through it towards the back, where you will eventually find a congenial library atmosphere.'

Design Guidelines

The interior design is in line with the Design Guidelines that Woensdregt had developed (still from ADP) earlier. ‘Organisation, lighting, furniture, decoration, detailing, custom solutions and architecture all had our full attention. The new staircases which are as open as possible and tucked into small voids – created partly due to necessary fire safety and escape routes – improve the interconnection and spaciousness between floors and departments.'

Translating concept into furniture

Gispen was awarded the contract for supplying the workstations and storage furniture. Gispen introduced products for various purposes including the work and consultation areas, based on the plans, drawings and look & feel concept of the (interior) architect. The interior is furnished with Sett sofas, Nomi chairs in various models and Hay About A Lounge chairs, among other products. Caroline Hölzken: 'We also opted for sit-sit and sit-stand workstations from the CIMO collection. Sustainability was not yet a selection criterion for the 2014 tender; circularity will be taken into account when the new tender procedure sets off.'

Photography: Chris van Koeverden

Wim Woensdregt - Woensdregt Holtz Architecten

A word from the architect

‘We had already developed the Design Guidelines together with Radboudumc. These guidelines put emphasis on creating an open, fresh and stylish environment. The furniture that we selected for the new Radboud Work Environment at the Study Centre is fully in line with this design philosophy, of course. The further development of the atmosphere, materials, colours and furniture was done in consultation with my wife, interior designer Suzanne Holtz. The furniture we selected was largely supplied by Gispen.’

We have been working with Gispen since 2014. Communicating with them is always a pleasant experience.

Caroline Hölzken Interior, Design and Advice department of Radboudumc

Photo gallery

Caroline Hölzken -Interior, Design and Advice department of Radboudumc

The client’s thoughts

‘We have been working with Gispen since 2014. They are a supplier of Radboudumc. Communicating with them is always a pleasant experience. We can also visit their showroom at any time in order, should we want to see or feel whether furniture items are suitable and whether the fabrics, colours and materials are fitting for certain applications.’