“GROOSMAN Architects wanted a circular office building that matches the company's ambitions.”
GROOSMAN Architecten
GROOSMAN Architects is located right in the heart of Rotterdam, on the top floor of a typical urban office building. Stepping into their new office feels like entering a completely different world. A raw, industrial, yet light and atmospheric space greets you. GROOSMAN Architects wanted to create a circular, healthy, connecting, and inspiring place for their new office that meets their ambitions: reducing fossil fuel consumption and keeping their CO2 footprint as low as possible. Nick Tettero (architect and “young talent” at GROOSMAN Architects) and Jop Besseling (Zwartwoud project manager) discuss the creation of this unique space.
Project Management
Product development
Production
Turn-key delivery
If we can combine those things—doing something beautiful for the planet while also doing something beautiful for the user—that is exactly what we love to do.
Nick: Together with three colleagues, I was given the freedom to lead the project for our new interior. Our previous office lacked a distinct identity. We are a young, energetic, and fresh company, and we wanted that to show. Furthermore, circularity is very important to us. As an architectural firm, we want our designs to have a positive impact on user well-being. Naturally, our own employees should also be able to work in a pleasant, safe environment.
Jop: And get inspired.
Nick: Yes, absolutely. The new office also serves as a business card, demonstrating that we have the courage and the desire to invest in what we value.
Jop: Do you notice this with clients as well? Is sustainability the first thing to be cut, or is that starting to improve?
Nick: People often assume that circularity always increases costs. But it can actually be cost-effective, for instance by reusing furniture. You have to think smarter, use creativity to see what is already available, and show the client the added value.
Jop: We were able to manage that well during this project.
Nick: It started with a design by Studio Oak. After the design process, they introduced us to Zwartwoud. We trusted them implicitly. As an architectural firm, we really care about the details; that’s part of our work. That might make things more difficult at times, but in the end, we were able to work together to ensure the final result is just incredibly beautiful. We all come to the office with a smile. Clients who walk in say: there’s a certain sense of peace here. Multiple flexible spaces ensure you feel secure, yet it still feels spacious with plenty of daylight.
Jop: I found the process leading up to it fun and exciting. It all started with the window frame. No one understood why it had to stay, or that it was part of the big picture. There had been a wall somewhere else, and the painter asked if he should remove the sealant and paint over it. We had to explain every time that this wasn't necessary for this design. That was really funny. It helped that we understood each other. We understood what you were looking for.
Nick: Yes, the fact that you knew what to do with the reclaimed wood, for example, and that you were able to pivot quickly is very valuable. That’s where you really stood out. Finding the material, but also daring to contribute ideas at that level.
The frames and doors are made from floor beams salvaged from a renovated after-school care center and a demolished university building.
The acoustics are managed with damping materials made from offcuts, and recycled PET bottles have been used for the upholstery.
The fact that Zwartwoud, for example, knew what to do with the residual wood and that they were able to switch quickly is very valuable. That's where Zwartwoud really stood out. Find the material, but also dare to contribute ideas at such a level.
Even the people at the Zwartwoud factory wondered: “Do I really need to do anything else to this?”
And fortunately, there were plenty of people who understood: this can be good just as it is. Who understood the concept. On the contrary, it’s about being able to show the material in its pure form.
Jop: You can reuse existing wood, but if you then apply kilos of new filler, you’re literally missing the point.
Nick: The design was also quite technical. I think that through good, constructive conversations and a lot of honesty and clarity, we arrived at something great together. In the different types of workspaces, we also created more individual work units 'from scratch.' Thanks to your technical expertise in interiors, combined with our specific requirements and an aesthetic approach, we succeeded. That shows in the design, but certainly also in the way they were manufactured.
Jop: Of course, given your profession, you are also expert clients. It was great that Wilco [Nick's colleague] was as passionate as I was. We kept each other on our toes!
Nick: Your involvement as a project leader is a real asset; I see that as a mark of quality. Besides, it helped that we were on the same page. Simply picking everything out of a catalog just doesn't cut it anymore.
Jop: It’s also much more exciting in the end, a project like that.
Nick: Yes, much more fun! You’re challenged to think in new ways instead of just repeating the same old trick in a different color. It’s a bit more time-consuming, but it’s worth it. Seeing how comfortable people are working here now—they seem so much calmer. Together, we’ve created a healthier workplace for our employees. That we were able to achieve that together is what I’m most proud of.
Jop: I’m especially proud of how we were able to contribute our own ideas.
Nick: Aren't you proud that you managed to build an entire office from just a few floor beams? It turned out pretty well, didn't it?
Jop: Yes, that too, of course. I really like it.
Nick: I hope this office helps us show our clients what we’re capable of. Clients like it, and people are going to talk about it. It would be great if we could eventually realize our own ambitions through this.
Jop: Is there a bit of Rotterdam in the new interior? Because you’re so clearly entering this unique office from a traditional parking garage and hall.
Nick: Great question! I think the overall raw look is very fitting for that. The fact that we kept the concrete ceiling intact and left it exposed. And the rough floor. Of course, you have the same with the wood: the scuffs, the screw and nail holes. You have, as it were, a blank canvas, but one that’s scarred and filled with materials that have their own history, along with furniture that has a story to tell. It ensures that the entire interior speaks for itself.
The underlayment panels for the meeting rooms, the units, the model room, and the stages come from an indoor skate park and an old car garage. The old conference table has been converted into a new sketching table, the bookcase has been repurposed, and the benches in the shower area are made from an old bookcase. The result: a unique, attractive office that makes the world a little more beautiful.
Laura is an interior designer and one of the founders of Studio Oak. With their 'vital oak' office concept and the use of natural materials, they were commissioned to design the new office interior.
Laura: “For every choice regarding materials and furniture, we set the bar very high when it comes to circularity. The residual wood frames are finished with biobased Greenpaints. The concrete floor was sanded and also finished with a Greenpaints product. But beyond using sustainable materials, flexibility is also a key part of circularity. The frames can be disassembled at a later date and placed in a different setting. The parts are detachable, so everything can be reused. That is what I am most proud of. We succeeded in making the office perfectly suited to GROOSMAN's needs.
After several collaborations with Zwartwoud, we know each other better and understand what we have in common. A lasting relationship as far as we are concerned.
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