Bovenbouwwerkplaats from Studioninedots: Converted industrial hall in Utrecht

The Dutch architecture studio Studioninedots has converted a former industrial hall of the Dutch Railways in Utrecht into a multifunctional complex of creative work and community spaces. Read more about the project, called Bovenbouwwerkplaats, here.

The former workshop building of the Dutch Railway Company in Utrecht, the “Koninklijke Nederlandsche Fabriek voor Werktuigen en Spoormaterieel”, was built in 1905. Previously, switches and tracks were manufactured here. Due to the increasingly deteriorating maintenance of the building in recent years and the changing environment, a comprehensive renovation of the industrial building was necessary. Studioninedots took on this task and redesigned the historic building. The result is a versatile, open space that will serve as a place for various community facilities and businesses and allow for flexible and dynamic use.

Studioninedots preserved the historical charm of the building during the redesign. The historical substance was preserved and combined with modern elements. Building relics such as existing installations, pipes and damaged plaster were largely preserved. In addition, all essential components of the old factory building, such as the scaffolding, the roofs and the exterior façade, were retained and restored so that the industrial charm and “rawness” of the building were preserved. In the main hall, a 1400 square meter collective space was created for creative work areas. There are also 500 square meters of catering facilities.

The centerpiece of the redesigned hall is a kind of metal curtain, an abstract, reflective façade that creates a new orthogonal volume within the building. The wave-shaped “curtain”, which consists of bent expanded metal elements and protrudes above the roofs of the hall, serves as the shell of a five-storey mobility center. The parking garage inside the hall offers space for a total of 175 shared cars and bicycles. This clever bundling of mobility means that the areas around the hall will remain largely car-free and be used as a pedestrian zone.

The metal curtain gives the space a new silhouette and, to a certain extent, creates an identity for the Bovenbouwwerkplaats. In addition, the volume makes the building appear lower and less massive from the outside. A number of flexible spaces are arranged around this central element. The large curved windows of the seven-bay hall provide a view of the surrounding landscape and connect the building with its surroundings. In addition, the transparent, glazed roofs flood the entire building with natural light during the day.

In collaboration with the landscape architecture firm DELVA, Studioninedots is currently designing the Wisselspoor district in Utrecht, which includes the Bovenbouwwerkplaats. The project is based on the “Cityplot concept”, a flexible urban planning strategy that combines living, working and culture. The concept envisages compact, flexible city blocks consisting of small to medium-sized buildings. The centerpiece is a 100 by 100 meter plot of land. The buildings are arranged in such a way that generous green spaces are created between them. Cityplot districts are also characterized by a low volume of traffic, which further enhances the quality of the public outdoor areas. In this way, the Wisselspoor quarter is intended to create a lively urban district that combines various uses and functions on a compact urban plot.

Also in Utrecht: Dutch architecture firm Zecc Architecten has converted a water tower in Utrecht into an elevated residential complex.