Last month the last timber modules of ‘Juf Nienke’, a new fully circular apartment building at the entrance to the Centrumeiland, were installed, reaching the highest point of the building. A fitting opportunity to catch up with Juf Nienkes’ architects Bjarne Mastenbroek (SeARCH) and Thomas Rau (RAU) on site.

Catch-up with the architects (excerpts from the video below)

Thomas Rau: ‘The municipality set incredibly high standards for this site. Which meant that if you were to use traditional methods, the desired level of performance was simply not achievable. They really asked for a Formula One car at this location, so, we really had to develop this completely from scratch.

Bjarne Mastenbroek: ‘Both RAU and SeARCH are front runners in timber construction. We have the experience, but that does not mean that it was an easy journey. There are regulations, the demands of contractors, and hesitancy from clients to navigate, so you must work very hard to realize the building in timber…and then you just stand stronger as a team.

Juf Nienke – summer update from RAU on Vimeo.
Video by Stijn Poelstra

More information via the summer update!

Team
Dokvast, RAU, SeARCH, Hazenberg, Barli, DGMR, Pieters Bouwtechniek and Installatiebureau Heeze

(fotografie: Stijn Poelstra)