Rem Koolhaas’ OMA has completed the new Amsterdam headquarters of Dutch denim brand G-Star RAW, which features a concrete shell, a glass core and a hangar-like facade that slides open (+ slideshow).
Located beside the A10 motorway in Amsterdam’s industrial Zuidoost district, the G-Star RAW HQ was designed by OMA to embody the rough-and-ready aesthetic of the brand’s military-inspired clothing, using stark materials and bulky volumes.
The 140-metre-long building sits over a large plinth that raises it up to the level of the road. It is wrapped by a dark concrete frame that houses the supporting facilities, while the central section is a row of glass boxes that contain the company’s creative departments.
Described by the architects as a “creative nucleus”, this section comprises a number of staggered floor plates and double-height spaces.
It also includes a flexible multi-purpose zone that the brand can use for large-scale production, fashion shows or parties.
This 20-metre-high space is fronted by sliding glass doors – sourced from an aircraft hangar manufacturer – that allow it to be either fully contained or exposed to the outside.
“The shifting facade and changing uses of the RAW Space, together with the various possible uses of the plinth, will create a constantly varying appearance reflecting the inner dynamism of G-Star RAW,” said OMA in a statement.
One glass box projects out from the facade to cantilever over the building’s entrance, creating a series of showrooms. This is surrounded by visitor facilities that offer framed views into the creative areas beyond.
The building is completed by a large G-Star RAW logo that stretches across the facade as if it were a billboard.
Photography is courtesy of OMA.
Here’s the project description from the architects:
G-Star RAW HQ
Situated next to the A10 in the industrial Zuidoost area of Amsterdam, the new HQ for G-Star RAW will consolidate G-Star RAW’s disparate facilities into a single building that aims to stimulate interaction between various departments.
The 27,500m2 horizontal building – 140 metres long – consists of a creative nucleus containing the core departments of G-Star RAW, which are enveloped by a ring of offices, parking and support facilities. The distinction between the support activities and the creative core is heightened through contrasting materials – a monolithic solidity rendered in black concrete for the ring, while the creative core is visible through the glass facade. The lower part of the ring forms a plinth for parking and drop off; the plinth also provides a location for installations and events.
The main entrance is situated at the level of the plinth and is underneath a cantilevered glass box that houses G-Star’s showrooms. This end of the building, distinct from the inner workings of G-Star, is dedicated to visitors; however there is still exposure of these inner workings through controlled views and access.
Inside the creative core of the building, staggered floor plates and double-height spaces promote a dynamic exchange between the different creative departments allowing for cross communication. The RAW-space, a flexible multi-use zone, either open to the outside or concealed behind sliding hangar-type doors, provides a space for work and production, parties, and fashion shows. Oriented towards the A10, the shifting facade and changing uses of the RAW-space, together with the various possible uses of the plinth, will create a constantly varying appearance reflecting the inner dynamism of G-Star RAW.
Project: headquarters for Dutch international fashion brand G-Star Status: Construction
Clients: G-Star RAW C.V.
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Site: industrial regeneration area in southeast Amsterdam next to A10 ring road
Program: offices and creative spaces (19,000m2) and parking (8,500m2)
Partners-in-charge: Rem Koolhaas, Reinier de Graaf, Ellen van Loon
Current team (construction + interiors): Katrien van Dijk (project leader), Tjeerd van de
Sandt, Saskia Simon, Marina Cogliani, Jung-Won Yoon
Team (interiors concept): Saskia Simon (project leader), Marlies Boterman, Marina Cogliani, Karolina Czeczek, Green van Gogh, Sarah Moylan, Mafalda Rangel, Tjeerd van de Sandt
Team (SD/DD/TD): Richard Hollington III (associate in charge), Tjeerd van de Sandt (project leader), Fred Awty, Philippe Braun, Kaveh Dabiri, Katrien van Dijk, Hans Hammink, Mariano Sagasta, Koen Stockbroekx
Team (competition): Richard Hollington III (associate in charge), Fred Awty, Philippe Braun, Rob Daurio, David Gianotten, Shabnam Hosseini, Andreas Kofler, Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli, Lawrence Siu
Tender documents: ABT
Structure consultant: ABT
MEP consultant: ABT
Building physics: DGMR
Contractor: Pleijsier Bouw
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