The Hague, Netherlands

CaballeroFabriek

GROUP A

Following the success of the the first phase of the CaballeroFabriek, completed in 2006, the second phase has been accepted in December 2008, and had its’ official opening in June 2009. The former tobacco factory building on the Binckhorst industrial estate has been transformed into a lively environment, comprising studios and offices for companies in the fields of Culture, IT and Media The concept for the CaballeroFabriek in the Hague is to stimulate creative and innovative activities amongst the tenants. Cross-fertilization between the various disciplines will be enhanced by linking commercial activity and culture. This cross-fertilization is the leading theme for the CaballeroFabriek redevelopment scheme. Therefore common spaces and meeting points take centre stage.

The original factory building from 1953 has been retained, and recent additions were demolished. The industrial character remains intact while new functions stand out by their contrasting design, which refer to the corporate identity of cigarette brand Caballero. One of the main challenges was to redevelop the CaballeroFabriek in such a way that the former factory building could become an environment where companies could easily meet, interact and inspire each other. This vision has been translated by GROUP A into a spatial concept that stimulates creative and innovative activities and cross-fertilization between the different companies. As a result the design has introduced lounge areas., wide corridors and common spaces. The newly created wide corridors double as informal meeting areas and have become the spine of the CaballeroFabriek.

Daylight is another key item in the building; the sliding doors that give access to the offices and studios are made almost fully from transparent Rodeca, in order to create an light, open and accessible work environment The building is surrounded on three sides by water, and encircles an inner yard. This yard has been enlarged by demolishing a part of the recently added factory hall, thus providing the tenants with a large outdoor terrace. Both entrances are situated next to this terrace, which enhances the lively character of the CaballeroFabriek. In addition, the former boiler room building opposite to the factory can be used for events and dinner parties . The CaballeroFabriek is not only meant to be used by tenants, but also has a relevant public function. Visitors from outside the factory can drink coffee

at the espresso bar and rent meeting rooms. The central area of the former factory hall has been redeveloped into a large hall for events, and can be used as a congress room, a television studio and an exhibition room. This events hall is linked to a central patio with a Japanese style inner garden. The CaballeroFabriek is one of the first projects to be finished on the Binckhorst, designated as a development area by the City of The Hague. The public and lively character of the factory building will provide this former industrial estate, close to the inner city centre, with an extra, muchneeded impulse.

In 2006 the CaballeroFabriek has won both the Jury Award ass well as the Audience Award of the Nieuwe Stad Prijs of The Hague. For the first time in the history of this prize two awards went to the same project. The jury voted unanimously for the project by GROUP A, and 40% of the public chose the CaballeroFabriek as their favourite project of the year.

Type: Redevelopment Industrial Building
Team: Maarten van Bremen, Adam Visser, Folkert van Hagen, Suzanne Linders, Jos Overmars, Jasper Hermans, Niclas Frenning, Tom Neu, Gebina Harren, Daniel Hoewekamp, Brigitte van der Tuin, Nir Goldberg, Paulo Moreno, Birgitta Rottmann, Eveline van den Berg Jeths, Silvio Carta, Joep Fessl

Project Address: Saturnuslaan, Binckhorst, The Hague Country: the Netherlands

Start design: September 2003
Final acceptance: December 2008
Dimensions: 14.500 m2

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CaballeroFabriek