REVERSING ROLES WITH INTOS

We recently finished a complete renovation of the INTOS head office in Haarlem's Waarderpolder. To highlight the positive impact of the renovation and the unique cooperation between D/DOCK and INTOS, we have captured the renovated building on camera. Today, we are proud to present a selection from that photoshoot.  

We've been working with INTOS on projects all over Europe for many years now. Usually, INTOS realizes interior solutions for D/DOCK clients. But for the renovation of the INTOS headquarters, these usual roles were reversed. Reflecting on this collaboration, architect Sven Butteling says: "It is fantastic that INTOS trusted us with both the architectural and the interior designs, aiming to improve the connections between the office and the workshop and between employees and external parties."  

Our collaboration on this project led to a stunning result. We transformed two former workshops and an office building from the 1980s into one new 10,000m2 workplace, utilizing the principles of "Overlay Architecture". This links to our belief that clever re-use provides surprising spatial qualities and reduces costs and needed materials. We re-used a large part of the existing office building and added a lightweight spatial structure with a 90-metre-long facade with recycled plastic sheets.  

According to Sven Butteling, all of D/DOCK's strengths came together in this project. "Besides being well-known interior designers, we are also architects and developers. Combining these multiple disciplines has given us so much experience, successfully enhancing many workspaces over the past decades. We design from the inside out, at a human scale and with circularity as our starting point. In this case, connecting the two buildings has ultimately led to an improved environment for all its users, within a resilient and sustainable framework."   

Besides circularity, structural connection and natural daylight played an essential role in realizing this project. We created a sawtooth-shaped roof for the new building, which is reminiscent of the traditional archetype of the 1920s, showing that INTOS is a maker. The cladding on the fa?ade alternates with high-quality glazing slits, allowing daylight to reach the deep ground floor. The use of glass provides a visual link between the offices and workshops and links the restaurant area to the entrance with workspace for partners. Additionally, the INTOS brand is now much more visible to the outside world.  

The entire D/DOCK team is very proud of the result and the endorsement by Theo Spanjaart, the CEO of INTOS. He says about his renewed headquarters: "INTOS is all about creating interiors in close collaboration with colleagues, clients, architects and suppliers, all working together in a transparent organization. Now that we are also in a literally transparent building, a big wish of all of us has been fulfilled."  

As far as we are concerned, the new facade of the INTOS building is one of the renovation's highlights. But of course, we are interested in your opinion. So, please take a look at the photos and judge for yourself.