In 2024, Brakel Systeemwanden will celebrate its 50th anniversary, a milestone that should not go unnoticed. Together with Archicomm, the company looks back on its genesis and reflects on the timeless wall system that is probably more relevant than ever due to its durability.
Brakel Systeemwanden was founded in the early 1970s by Iz ter Louw and combined an architectural vision with the technical knowledge of Brakel Hilversum. Sales Manager Niels Geniets: "Architect Jaap Bongers was working on the first twenty McDonald's restaurants in the Netherlands. Success was not guaranteed, so he asked Ter Louw to supply stainless steel custom furniture that was flexible, to move if necessary." After all, Brakel was already making workbenches. After this project, the architect came up with a new wall system with the core value that it had to be demountable without affecting the floor and/or ceiling. Fully adaptable, modular and reusable. This revolutionary approach formed the basis for Brakel Systeemwanden's current product range.
De Brakel System walls build on the strong foundation from the 1970s. "With minimal individual parts, we can build to the maximum, and a lot is possible within our system," says Geniets. "For example, we now offer frame doors and fire-resistant doors. We also make round panels, round glass and round profiles. In addition, our Qubes, standalone booths built from the same system, are in great demand. However, this is just a small sample of the possibilities. Do you want something special? Then you can, understanding and serving the architect, that's what we live by." Brakel also keeps the entire process from consulting, drawing, production, logistics to assembly in-house.
Geniets explains that thinking green for Brakel Systeemwanden is something other than recycling materials. "Fusing materials takes energy; real sustainability is in reuse. Our products are designed to be easily disassembled and reused. This is what architects, but certainly society, are eager for, because it fits perfectly with current sustainability goals within the construction industry. Because the basis of our system has remained the same, we can offer a guarantee of delivery. So everything we have ever supplied is still available."
A prominent showcase of Brakel's expertise is the VNO-NCW-MKB office in the Malietoren, The Hague. In 1995, Brakel provided the walls, cabinets and doors for this company. This partnership was renewed in 2022 when Brakel was asked to modernize the interior. New spaces were created for brainstorming sessions, image meetings and live meetings, while the departments retained their own zones for concentrated work. To achieve this, all the dense walls in the corridors were used as room dividers (previously dense walls were widely used). The corridor walls became glass walls in the same system; in addition, system cabinets and doors were also reused. Geniets: "Furthermore, all components have been repainted and are therefore fully eligible for reuse. The warranty then simply starts all over again! This is sustainability the world dreams of."