Architect opts for aesthetic galvanizing

CIVIC Architects was founded in 2015 and has since been privileged to deliver several beautiful projects, including the transformed TU Twente. In this large-scale renovation, the use of galvanized steel played an important role. Architect Rick ten Doeschate talks about the material choices the firm made.

"This project was challenging in an interesting way. Existing buildings actually force you to come up with solutions that are not very standard. At Langezijds (TU Twente), the project contours had already been outlined by the client: transforming an old chemical laboratory into this new faculty. The choice of materials came about from a number of perspectives," said Rick. "For example, the existing building has clear characteristics: a concrete first floor and a light steel superstructure. This is what we wanted to build on. Second perspective was the circular ambitions. We wanted to enrich the existing pallet of concrete and steel with wood, because it provides warmth and is a sustainable material."

Although the faculty was to be part of the university campus, there was also a desire for the building to retain its own identity. This identity is characterized by a more specific architecture that embraces the imperfections of the existing building. The coffered ceiling and the concrete and steel shell are visible, including damage and signs of use. "Combined with the sustainability ambition, this determined our choice of material-specific colors and material-specific appearance. That was also one of the reasons why we decided not to coat the steel but to preserve it. And that's how we arrived at the principle of hot-dip galvanizing."

The right advice from the specialist

Once initial contact was made, Zinkinfo communicated with the architect. "We were incredibly helped by Hans Boender of Zinkinfo," says Rick. "As an architect, you are not a specialist but a generalist. You always need consultants who can help you. For the galvanizing, we also needed independent advice, how are we going to do that and what do we need to pay attention to? So that we could not only take into account the properties of the material in the design process, but especially in the specifications phase, we could define well what requirements the contractor would eventually have to meet, also during the execution process."

Because the steel was used throughout, the architectural firm chose aesthetic galvanized steel. It was also important that the material be durable and maintenance-free. "Initially, we wanted to use wood instead of steel in more places because it is inherently a sustainable material. However, for some parts of the building, steel was the better choice. For example, we installed new glass atrium roofs; for the large spans, wood was not a good choice, but steel came into its own here. Also the whole facade structure is made of hot-dip galvanized steel, because it hangs almost half a meter from the center of the outer frame. You also have the stairs, the fencing and the steel structure for the glass roofs, which were also hot-dip galvanized. We also did a kind of small addition that is almost unrecognizable as an addition. There we continued the old steel structure with a new galvanized steel structure."