Topping out new TenneT head office
Arnhem, The Netherlands, 29 May 2012 - The Mariëndaal Centre of Excellence (MCE), which is currently under construction at Arnhems Buiten Business Park, will reach its highest point on Thursday 31 May. The innovative and contemporary new TenneT head office is being constructed by Bouwcombinatie BAM – Giesbers v.o.f. (BAM Utiliteitsbouw and Giesbers-Wijchen Bouw) for the BGB development group (a consortium of BAM Utiliteitsbouw, Giesbers Gebiedsontwikkeling and TCN). The building was designed by GROUP A Architects of Rotterdam and has been sold to PingProperties.
The Mariëndaal Centre of Excellence has a gross floor space of approx. 34,000 square metres, covering four office floors which allow for various office concepts. The MCE is a compact building in the shape of a hollow square. Glass dominates the ground floor, which follows the natural slope of the landscape. ‘As the construction work progresses, the contours of the building are becoming increasingly visible’, said Adam Visser of GROUP A Architects. ‘The relationship between the building and the landscape is gradually coming into focus.’
The Mariëndaal Centre of Excellence incorporates a number of sustainable features, including energy-efficient lighting and a heat exchange system. Debris from previous structures is used in the construction of the new building. The project was awarded the 'Bewuste Bouwers' (Considerate Constructors) certificate. This certificate is awarded to construction projects which take the interests of local residents into account, protect the environment and promote safe working practices.
TenneT will rent the Mariëndaal Centre of Excellence. The electricity transmission operator has grown substantially in the past few years, and the MCE is therefore an ideal location to accommodate all staff. The new building will have over 1,000 workplaces, sufficient for at least 1,200 and in the long term possibly up to 1,500 employees. ‘This innovative building will combine sustainability and energy efficiency with an inspiring and pleasant working environment for our staff’, said TenneT CEO Mel Kroon. ‘These qualities are very much in line with TenneT's ambitions and core values. In this new head office we will continue to work on a sustainable electricity supply in the Netherlands and abroad.’
‘The work is proceeding according to schedule’, said Steven de Vlugt, project leader at Bouwcombinatie BAM – Giesbers v.o.f. ‘We are very proud of having reached the highest point and of the collaboration between the parties involved in this project. We expect that TenneT will be able to relocate to the new head office by the end of 2013.’
For more information on the Mariëndaal Centre of Excellence, visit www.bamgiesbersbouwtmce.nl.