Efficient use of available square meters, shared workstations and sufficient opportunities for interaction. These were the main requirements for Nikon's new European headquarters in Amstelveen. Using the workplace concept drawn up by Solved as a starting point, architects Stijn van Woerkom and Victor le Noble of BURO NOW created a comfortable and connecting working environment for the Japanese electronics company that perfectly matches the high brand standards as well as the wide variety of spaces and activities. Felt walls, Interface carpet and vinyl tiles, and oak details combine to create a strong base that does full justice to Nikon's services and photography.
"Nikon's new location in Amstelveen offered the opportunity to cluster various divisions and services," Van Woerkom said. "Where the first floors were made suitable for assembling, checking and returning cameras, the fifth floor was set up for management, a reception area and the boardroom. One floor below are clustered the various departments of Nikon. We developed a completely new work concept for these floors, with open workspaces and multifunctional zones that can be used both for meetings, focused work and relaxation. In contrast, the management areas were kept quite traditional, because of the company's Japanese roots. After all, the hierarchy in Japan is different from that in the Netherlands."
"Nikon's DNA is not only in the black and yellow logo, but also in the cameras, lenses and microscopes the company has long been known for," Van Woerkom believes. "That's why we took the power of light as the starting point for our design. We played with mirror walls and light boxes, as well as color filters in the glass, interesting vistas, lighting and sunlight. To increase working comfort, most of the walls are lined with felt, which adds a special texture and structure to the spaces and contributes to good acoustics. Interface's floor coverings also play an essential role in this and, together with the oak details, guarantee a high-end look."
The felt on the walls is made from recycled materials, Van Woerkom says. "And Interface has also delivered a sustainable product with its Embodied Beauty collection, with a CQuest™Bio backing and the lowest possible environmental impact."
Embodied Beauty is the world's first carbon-negative carpet tile collection and features a bio-composite backing with bio-based and recycled fillers. The collection is designed to help restore the health of the world in style. To create a calm base, BURO NOW very deliberately chose carpet tiles in calm shades of gray and in a specific laying pattern. "The gray tones of the Tokyo Texture, Sashiko Stitch and Vintage Kimono carpet tiles offer a Japanese serenity that is extremely suitable for office spaces where focus and human connection are key. The name of the tiles is also a nice nod to the electronics company's Japanese origins," Van Woerkom laughs. "The carpet tiles match very nicely with the Textured Stones vinyl tiles, which contain 39% recycled content and add a high-quality concrete look to the spaces."
In laying the floor plan, Nikon and BURO NOW reduced carbon emissions by 17 metric tons through the Carbon Neutral Floors program.