Pavilion Tax Offices
Following the completion of the EEA & Tax Office building in Groningen in 2011, the underground car park, the pavilion building and the new City Garden complete the development.
Designed by Lodewijk Baljon Landscape Architects, the new City Garden forms an important addition to the city’s parklands and combines the secure atmosphere of a garden with the liveliness of an urban public space. Through the planting of an appropriate selection of native and exotic plants the City Garden provides food and shelter for both birds and insects. A total of 55.000 plants in a range of 200 species have been planted and several native types of herb have been sown.
Situated within the City Garden, the two storey garden pavilion designed by UNStudio relates to the design of the main EEA & Tax Office building but presents a more extravert character. The South and West elevations of the building are fully transparent and link the pavilion’s interior directly to the garden. A gently sloping exterior staircase provides access to the rooftop terrace which forms an extension of the gardens. The pavilion houses a variety of programmes (fitness, restaurant café and business centre).
The underground car park can accommodate 700 vehicles, of which 60 are pre-fitted with electrical sockets. A separate section of the car park with its own entrance can store 1500 bikes of all types and sizes. The underground car park is punctuated by three open skylights, the so-called kieuwen (gills). These complex spatial elements provide inclusive connections from the cark park to the City Garden. They additionally serve as emergency staircases and informal entrances to the parking facilities. Their main function however is to provide fresh natural air, natural daylight and wayfinding.
Groningen, Netherlands, 2011 — 2014
Client of the consortium
Dutch Government Buildings Agency (RGD)
Client UNStudio
Consortium DUO² (Strukton, Ballast Nedam, John Laing)
Client pavilion
Strukton Vastgoed
Landscape/planting diagrams
© Lodewijk Baljon Landscape Architects
Photos
Ronald Tilleman
Credits
→ UNstudio
