NEW DESIGN BASED ON EXISTING STRUCTURES
Rob Lotstra, interior architect at Gispen: ‘I started designing from the existing structures: reusing walls, ceilings, lighting and carpet. I used the carpet to create new colour schemes for the three floors, in which the original and somewhat loud colours were changed to softer colours for a more homely atmosphere. I also created a floor plan for each floor with a blend of meeting spaces and workstations, ranging from quiet to more lively.' Floor 7 contains an important entrée: the living room. This is where visitors are welcomed, get served delicious coffee and receive instructions on the available spaces. This also serves as a meeting point as well as a place to touch base in a homely atmosphere with lots of wood and greenery. From fresh coffee and tea to toiletries; no detail has been spared. Floors 6 and 8 contain a wide variety of conference rooms – both in terms of size and style – as well as spaces for concentrating or collaborating. The furniture in the creative conference rooms can easily be moved around by the users themselves.
We did not leave it at reusing existing structures; the furniture was also selected from a starting point of reuse. Rob: 'We got together with Facilitair Bedrijf DJI to make an inventory of the furniture in storage and determined which products were eligible for reuse – after refurbishment, if necessary. There were quite a number of them!' Some of the furniture needed no attention at all, while other pieces were refurbished by Gispen. From cleaning and reupholstering conference chairs to repainting coat racks. The (wooden) dining chairs were turned into more luxurious conference chairs by reupholstering and upgrading them. Marijke: 'We left one of the chairs in its original state to show the upgrade.' Rob: 'A total of 177 pieces of furniture have been given a new purpose at the hub. Only then did we assess where new, circular furniture was needed.' Examples include sustainable Gispen NOMI chairs and Gispen sit-stand conference tables. Marijke: 'We also wanted to give the interior a nod of recognition to DJI. This shows in the footstools that were made from old uniforms, lamps and helmets by prison inmates.'
CO2-REDUCTION OF 8,267 KILOGRAMS
The combined use of these refurbished products, which carry the Gispen REVIVED label, has resulted in a CO2-reduction of 8,267 kilograms in comparison to new furniture. This is equivalent to driving an average car 47,948 kilometres or flying from Amsterdam to Paris 58 times.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE RESULT?
Marijke: 'The hosts receive a lot of positive feedback from the users of Rijkshub Leiden. There hasn't been a day without any guests. People appreciate the homely atmosphere and enjoy being among people instead of working from home. Or just to break the routine of coming into the same office every day. Departments and teams like to utilise the 20-person room; they no longer need to hire space externally to do so. Project teams usually opt for the collaborative workstations and the creative conference and brainstorming rooms. Rijkshub Leiden has made a flying start.'
Photography: Mike Bink
