The recognizable and timeless architecture of Layers.
From the very beginning, Layers has had its own vision of business spaces. No boring box buildings or tame warehouses, but beautiful buildings. Business spaces that put a smile on your face and invite entrepreneurs to go to work every day again with a lot of energy. It is the task of Architectenbureau AGBvanDijk to translate that vision into practice. With recognizable and timeless architecture.
Arco Hollander is architect at AGBvanDijk. His colleague Ruben Aalbers is project manager at this Ede-based firm, which provides work to 25 employees. We asked Arco and Ruben how they look at the more than 40 Layers projects that they have now designed and realized.
Toolbox
Arco is especially pleased with the recognizability in all those projects: “We have developed a toolbox with recognizable elements. Such as working with concrete, wood and glass. That results in beautiful, light and fresh buildings. What is distinctive is that at every new location we make a new design with that same toolbox, which is then just slightly different again.”
Ruben points to the role of client Layers in this. “Their focus lies on creating a unique and strong product. With room for improvement with each next project. Despite a fixed concept, we go a step further every time. Among other things by using plots even more effectively and efficiently. And each location requires its own approach. One place invites a lot of openness towards the area, the other asks for a more restrained approach that fits the existing buildings.”
“We have developed a toolbox with recognizable elements. Such as working with concrete, wood and glass. That results in beautiful, light and fresh buildings.”
High-quality
Characteristic of the Layers approach, according to Arco, is the use of high-quality materials. “Business units are often realized with sandwich panels. Distinctive in the Layers design is the addition of wood and glass to create beautiful and clearly visible accents. So that an entrepreneur who wants to show things with a display window can also get what he wants. And we make sure that every unit is ‘readable’. So not only an overhead door, but also a clear entrance.”
The success of the first Layers units did not remain unnoticed for long. Soon the competition started copying that style. For Layers and ABGvanDijk only an extra encouragement to raise the bar a little higher again. Arco: “By constantly renewing you can distinguish yourself from the rest. In recent years we have started working more with greenery on the facades and with greenery integrated into the landscape around the Layers projects.”
Challenges
The collaboration between client and architectural firm is intensive. Ruben: “We have a lot of contact and are constantly challenged to come up with improvements. The atmosphere is very collegial, our role as an advising party is taken seriously and in this way we can together arrive at a very beautiful product.” The project manager enjoys most the moment when a new project comes in. “When they ask us to look along from scratch at a new plot and to lay the foundation for a new project.”
Eye for the environment
That basis is not laid behind the drawing table, but in the field. Arco: “With every new Layers development we first look carefully at the surroundings. For example, how users and local residents reach the location. You also pay attention to which corners of the plot are clearly visible and how you can orient the buildings in such a way that they are clearly visible from the road. Of course the routing must also be logical. So that you have short lines and can ensure good accessibility for different users. A point of attention is also different sizes of units, so that both small and larger entrepreneurs feel at home in such a place.”
Future-proof
About the future and the future-proofness of the Layers concept this duo has no worries. The focus is shifting to more visible locations, which gives the architects even more space to “really make something very beautiful of it.” In urban areas land is scarce, which increases the demand for stacked construction and also creates new challenges. Arco points out that the use of the existing Layers units is already very versatile. “A plumber who needs a workshop can go there, but also someone who needs a photo studio. That flexible use already makes it timeless. Plus that you can pull units together if an entrepreneur needs more space in the future.” Project manager Ruben foresees that Layers will increasingly focus on area development. “In order to respond even better to what a plot asks for. Large units, small units, stacked construction, offices… there are still plenty of opportunities to develop beautiful things with the recognizable Layers architecture.”
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“We have developed a toolbox with recognizable elements. Such as working with concrete, wood and glass. That results in beautiful, light and fresh buildings.”
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