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Research Centre Rotterdam

Studio Sabine Marcelis

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Research Centre in Het Nieuwe Instituut. Design by Sabine Marcelis. - Pim Top
Research Centre in Het Nieuwe Instituut. Design by Sabine Marcelis. - Pim Top
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Comments
Innovation
Functionality
Creativity
Eco-Social Impact
Total
JURY VOTES
Learning Space
6.28
6.95
7.16
6.33
6.68
Client
Het Nieuwe Instituut
Floor area
457 ㎡
Completion
2021
Social Media
Instagram
Furniture

The Study Centre has been transformed into the Research Centre, a space where research, encounters, inspiration, collaboration and the exchange of knowledge are central. Hosting around 3000 (inter)national researchers per year, above all it’s a place where new knowledge is created. The Research Centre connects researchers with Het Nieuwe Instituut and research results with the National Collection for Architecture and Urban Planning. 

Studio Sabine Marcelis has transformed Het Nieuwe Instituut’s Research Centre through the reuse of its existing USM furniture and other innovative interventions. While the original design was primarily aimed at facilitating academic research on the National Collection for Architecture and Urban Planning, the new interior enables different types of use. Visitors are welcome to meet, work and learn more about the library, the collection, and the research of others. 

The Research Centre has a unique concept. There are few study spaces that are freely accessible to everyone and that combine such an extensive library (with more than 70,000 books) and archive. Also remarkable is the division of the space into different zones that meet the various needs of staff members and visitors. For this project, Sabine Marcelis looked at the function and the users of the space. Marcelis replaced parts of the existing USM cabinets with new glass panels in red, and also adds resin elements. The colour gradation of the glass used in the existing furniture is unique, it will not be reproduced. Using deceptively simple means and gestures, Marcelis creates a space with a light and lively atmosphere. 

For example, her use of glass to replace some of the closed façade panels allows more light to enter the room. This creates a play of colour and transparency which makes the new Research Centre an attractive study space and place for the inspiration, collaboration and exchange that are central to its mission. As a result of the remodelling, the space has become more inviting and accessible. The different zones offer room for different activities: from research zone, where you can also quietly read a book, to a zone for groups and a zone where visitors can enjoy their own food and drink and where people can meet. 

The design is highly sustainable. The existing USM furniture was taken as the starting point. The furniture by the Swiss furniture manufacturer USM had a prominent place in the space from the opening of the building in 1993 (at that time it was the Netherlands Architecture Institute). It has been almost completely reused for the current refurbishment. The longer a product can be (re)used, the smaller its ecological impact. 

The design of the Research Centre is therefore fully in line with the core values on which USM has based the production of its modular furniture for more than 50 years: a high degree of sustainability based on a long lifespan, modular usability, high-quality materials and production methods and timeless design.