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The Green House

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The Green House 

When cepezed was going to transform the former Knoop barracks in Utrecht into Government office De Knoop, client the Central Government Real Estate Agency also asked us for a solution regarding the space between the Knoop barracks and the adjacent head office of the Rabobank. That solution became The Green House.

  • client(s)
  • Central Government Real Estate Agency
  • location
  • Utrecht
  • user(s)
  • Catering and rental of meeting rooms
  • expertise
  • architects
    cepezed projects
  • project brochure
lucas van der wee | cepezed

Temporary and lively  

Our assignment was to design a temporary stopgap for the site: the location would not be filled with permanent construction for another 15 years. cepezed therefore developed a plan in which both the function and the architecture are fully circular.

The Green House accommodates a circular restaurant concept with meeting facilities. Additionally, in accordance with the principles of circularity, the kit of parts building can be completely disassembled. Including its foundations of prefab concrete blocks. After use on this location, it can be easily taken apart and rebuilt elsewhere.

lucas van der wee | cepezed
lucas van der wee | cepezed

Building kit  

So the two-storey pavilion is a ‘building kit’. It has a detachable steel frame made of galvanized profiles. The dimensions are derived from the smoked-glass façade panels on the former Knoop barracks; these were reused for the second skin and the pavilion’s greenhouse.

The floor is circular as well and consists of paving bricks from an old quay in Tiel. They have been laid on a compacted sand bed with underfloor heating. The storey floor has been constructed with pre-used wood.

lucas van der wee | cepezed
lucas van der wee | cepezed

100% recyclable  

For the roof, we chose a light steel sheet provided with perforation and acoustic insulation. With a glass curtain wall, the plinth of the pavilion is completely transparent. For the closed parts of the façade on the first floor, prefabricated timber-frame panels were used. These are 100% recyclable and (H)CFC-free.

lucas van der wee
dwarsdoorsnede the green house

Vegetables from own Green House  

The 80 m² vertical greenhouse is located on the first floor, next to the meeting rooms. Here, vegetables and herbs are grown for the restaurant kitchen. Thanks to a void in the pavilion, you can clearly see the freely accessible greenhouse from the restaurant below. The large greenery wall also contributes significantly to the experience of The Green House.

lucas van der wee | cepezed
lucas van der wee | cepezed

partners

  • primary client: rijksvastgoedbedrijf
  • contractual client: r creators (strukton, ballast nedam en facilicom)
  • interior design: coster design
  • stability: pieters bouwtechniek
  • building services: strukton worksphere
  • circular construction consultant: cepezedprojects
  • building physics & sustainability: dgmr
  • main contractor: ballast nedam
  • contractor building services: strukton worksphere
  • contractor steel construction: kampstaal
  • façades: de groot & visser

awards & nominations

  • dutch sustainable construction awards | 2019 | public choice award
  • dutch sustainable construction awards | 2019
  • architecture & circular economy juryprize | 2018 | gg-awards
  • dutch building award | 2018
  • entree awards | 2018 | category best hospitality concept
  • sustainability prize utrecht | 2017
contact
→ Mail bd@cepezed.nl or call our business development team on +31 (0)15 2150000

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