Architect：Fokkema & Partners Architecten B.V.

Location：Amsterdam, Netherlands; | ;

Project Year：2021

Category：Offices

APG is the largest pension administrator in the Netherlands and provides pensions for 4.8 million participants. In the unique redevelopment of the EDGE West building in Sloterdijk, Amsterdam Fokkema & Partners created a high-profile design for the APG work floors that adds color to the building.

Although it is a multi-tenant building, APG wanted to be clearly visible and recognizable in the sustainable EDGE Amsterdam West building. Therefore, Fokkema & Partners designed expressive, three-dimensional follies for the three balconies in the common atrium. Each of the follies brightly colored in one of APG's corporate colors: blue, yellow or red.

Because of the three-dimensional effect, and depending on the viewing perspective, the follies look different every time. The follies can be used for various identifiable expressions, for example in “pride week” a rainbow flag was hung from the scaffolding. The balconies with the follies provide space for meetings between APG employees and their guests while also marking the place where to get coffee. They are directly visible from the common EDGE West atrium, making the APG floors recognizable. In addition, they form the transition between the spacious atrium of the building and APG's office floors.

"The three-dimensional design of the follies is inspired by the broader perspective that APG offers by sharing knowledge, ideas and by looking just a little further."

Within the large-scale circular building of 60,000 m2, with a large atrium at its heart, the challenge was to create an attractive working environment in which people maintain their orientation. Fokkema & Partners therefore created long and clear sightlines from the work floor with continuous views of the atrium and the follies on the balconies. For orientation, different zonings were also applied to the work floors with their own atmosphere, making them recognizable. The materialization of the focus zone, for example, was inspired by the tranquility of nature, so that the intended use of this zone is also intuitively palpable. The use of color has also been given extensive consideration. Because daylight is cooler on the north side of the building, warm colors have been added. On the south side, because of the warmer light, cooler colors have been added. In all respects, the bold use of color is striking. It makes this work environment different from all the previous designs by Fokkema & Partners.