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'This building in Middelburg sings!'

You don't miss it when you drive into the Zeeland capital of Middelburg. The Joint Research Center (JRC) Middelburg, inaugurated in February, turns out to be a true eye-catcher of which the city is proud. Logically so. Because ... architect Ben Westenburger of Rothuizen Architects and Advisors (also from Middelburg) is responsible for the design. Of course, the design did have to technically fit "the conditions" that are the order of the day in the town of Zeeland: the battle against the elements of the sea and the fierce force of the sun. "A building should retain its appearance as long as possible. With regard to the choice of façade panels, we could not therefore take any chances," says Ben.

In 2008 was the initial impetus for the design and eventual construction of the JRC. "We are not only a design but also a construction architectural firm," says Ben. "That provides many advantages for the client because it increases your chances of staying within construction budgets. We succeeded in doing that. In addition, as a designer you stay intensively involved in everything throughout the project, from start to finish, as you end up halfway through the issue of the materialization of the facade. The challenge there was? Well, of course you talk about functionality, but also this one was about creating something new within a protected townscape. We wanted to create a tough building, especially since there are many other large-scale buildings as well as infrastructure in the immediate vicinity."

"In the end, the building became a kind of wokkel. This was done in Trespa® Meteon®. The very first choice was to glue the cladding. But that choice was not really sustainable. That idea was soon discarded, after which a better plan was quickly devised: the Trespa® panel material was the better (and sustainable) alternative, also because of its longevity and bio-based label. The screws were no problem. After all, you can't see them from a distance."

Ben explains that matte and glossy panels were chosen. "Because of the undulating movement that is created, you immediately make the connection with water, one of the research themes of the building. As a result, the architectural story rings true. And, we wanted a white building. We could. Because, the colorfastness of the finally chosen Trespa® Meteon® Lumen (*) - Athens White - is guaranteed."

Caroline Ngo, account manager at Trespa, feels great pride at the final result. "This building sings to you!" she says with a laugh. "The directional panels add depth and color so you can see it's alive from afar. How often do you see such an immense building in a prominent location create the right meaning? All credits to the architect!"

Characteristics of the selected Trespa® Meteon® LUMEN

Athens White L05.0.0 with two finishes

With the Trespa® Meteon® Lumen cladding collection, you can use natural light to give your design a whole new look and feel to your facade. Reflect, diffuse or dampen the light ─ your choice, your vision. The diffuse (meaning: matte) finish provides low light reflection and removes gloss and texture, so you experience the purest form. The result? Instant calm, thanks to the diffused light, giving the Joint Research Center façade a soft, subdued matte look.