The Ottho Gerhard Heldring Foundation, a secure youth facility, is located on a site in a rural setting. The head office is located in a villa from the early fifties. EGM architecten designed an office extension to the existing office. The expansion was designed apart from the house, due to the uniqueness of the villa and the monumental trees surrounding it. The building consists of two perpendicular rectangular building sections that are stacked on top of one another, with the top section rotated a quarter off the bottom section. They are connected to the villa by a transparent passageway.

The stacking angle of the rectangular sections creates an overhang on the ground floor area beneath. This overhang space is transparent and designed to accommodate the restaurant and terrace, beautifully connecting them with the surrounding landscape. The staircase, with its large atrium and a skylight, is located where the two building levels connect. This area formsthe heart of the building, which also has a connecting passageway to the villa. The whole structure is covered with brick red powder-coated grates, which serve as windows to the sun. The movable grates create a subtle play on the façades with a continuously changing exterior.

EGM architects designs and delivers work environments that meet the most demanding requirements for user-comfort and architectural quality. Office buildings with the highest possible economic durability and sustainable value. We are capable of providing prompt and solid solutions to housing demands. It goes without saying that those solutions are a fit with the character and the DNA of the organisation. We design without preconceived beliefs or principles. We respond to topical ideas on work, work environment, cooperation and the influence of the internet on work and its surroundings. We realise that offices are becoming more and more versatile; they serve more than one purpose. Work environments are becoming more efficient and differentiated, something that we respond to for our clients: from spaces to work effective and concentrated to spaces for relaxation and informal contact with customers and colleagues.

The demand for new builds is waning, but re-use of existing properties is on the rise. Offices are given a different purpose, such as student accommodation and apartments. However, there is also an obvious route for the revitalisation of offices: to bring them up to date and make them leasable again.We have broad and extensive experience when it comes to transitioning offices. To name a few: Building A at Radboud University Medical Centre and the transformation of the Tomadohuis in Dordrecht, a Dutch National Heritage building. Our competence in building for the care sector stands us in good stead when working on challenges in the business sector; we listen intently and design with the end-user in mind.

OFFICE SPACE IS CHANGING AND BECOMING MORE VERSATILE. FOR OUR CLIENTS WE DESIGN WORK ENVIRONMENTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO A SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY

Office space is also an important investment medium and source of income for businesses, local authorities, and investors. Social responsibilities and the preservation of a healthy living environment, for future generations as well, are becoming increasingly important when creating office buildings. The demand for sustainable, 'green' offices is growing rapidly. This demand is underpinned by the intention to save energy and to be a socially responsible business. We design work environments that focus on contributing to a sustainable society, as well as enabling the business to permanently distinguish itself.

Our experience designing and styling buildings for government and local authorities is just as extensive as the range of government services. Our portfolio stretches from town halls to fire stations and from district water board's offices to courts of law. Together with the client, we shape the processes and design appealing, innovative buildings. Buildings that optimize work processes and simultaneously ensure a pleasant environment that is easy to navigate for users and visitors. By listening critically to our clients and stakeholders, we have gained a thorough understanding of the work processes. We have acquired knowledge of the changes in the organizations, and insight into the demands posed by society. Together with the client, we will design a building that does more than simply meet the programme of requirements. Together we will find the best solutions.

Designing for the government

As a highly specialist firm, we realize beautifully designed buildings, but above all, we contribute to the efficiency of work processes and to keeping operating costs under control. We contribute to flexible buildings that are ready for the future. To a healthy work environment. We point the way toward socially responsible designs using integral architectonic and climatic concepts for a realistic price, as befits the government's role in serving as an example to others in the areas of sustainability and cost-awareness, transparency, accessibility and low energy consumption.

Public buildings

Public government buildings form a particular challenge when it comes to combining an efficient, pleasant work place with being open and hospitable to visitors - in addition to having its own character and couleur locale, being rooted in local society, the history, the landscape and the local cultural values. A government administration building has symbolic value as well, representing democracy, transparency, and the coming together of government, citizens and business. Therefore, both employees and visitors should be able to feel at home in the building, as well as take pride in it.

We are much in demand as a development partner, due to our knowledge with regard to the services and work processes in public administration, combined with our effective way of working that includes design, realization and, when desired, maintenance in a turn-key contract. Our dialogue with the client is conducted from the perspective of the end users. That way, we realize well-organized, user-friendly buildings.

Police stations & Judicial institutions

Designing and realizing buildings for police and the judiciary demands a thorough knowledge of the business processes and security aspects. Both greatly affect the appearance of this type of building. We possess ample, demonstrable knowledge of this subject matter. Our buildings are characterized by a clear lay-out, with particular attention for short, functional walking routes and clear, easy to navigate corridors and hallways.

We ensure that the necessary security systems are concealed from view as much as possible. Combined with the right materials and colour scheme, we create a friendly environment. In addition to specific architectural knowledge, this integration also demands knowledge of mechanical and electrotechnical engineering. And we never lose sight of the human aspect. The chosen materials and colour scheme, as well as the influx of natural light, can contribute to a more pleasant environment for working and staying in. Indirectly, this positively contributes to security.

Every design has its own character and couleur locale, rooted in local society, the history, the landscape and the local cultural values

Emergency services

Public emergency services, such as the fire department and the police, need to be perfectly situated in the urban environment. In addition, they need a design of extreme functionality and excellent logistic clarity. These demands require the utmost of the architect's qualities. As a full-service firm, EGM architects has all these qualities on hand. Structural and architectonic qualities, and qualities with regard to urban planning. We have already developed several demonstrably successful concepts on limited budgets. Without having to make concessions to sustainability, flexibility and expandability.

As a result of several developments in local government, fire stations are 'growing' into buildings that provide several services with regard to security: incident room, ambulance service and municipal surveillance. These services each have their own particular context and experiences. That means accommodation has to meet new demands. In close consultation with the users, we always manage to put an effective solution in place. It is these different dynamics that make designing buildings for emergency services such an interesting assignment. We ensure a clear arrangement, in which the different functions can optimally benefit from each other's presence, but - sometimes literally - do not get in each other's way in the execution of their duties. We empathize with the needs of the users. And we make sure that, for those who spend 24 hour-shifts in the building, a large building can feel 'small'.

Designing for healthcare is complex but meaningful; the social significance is large. Vision and ideal go hand in hand with usefulness and economy. This makes designing, developing, building and managing in healthcare demanding, challenging and meaningful. We base our healthcare designs on six important themes: well-being, care vision, functionality and process, architecture and urban planning, sustainable building and exploitation.

The quality of the accommodation greatly affects a client's treatment options and well-being. In addition, it is important to relatives and employees. We take this into account in our design. Specific disorders and treatment methods require specific spatial and organizational solutions and atmospheres, sometimes temporary and flexible ones. We create atmospheres and experiences by creating variation in the closed and open characters of spaces, in views, choice of materials, detailing, colour schemes and lighting. Our ambition is to create living and working environments for all users, both residents and employees, which are beautiful, ready for the future and above all safe. For this purpose, we ensure there is synthesis between the building, the interior and the landscape.

Mental Healthcare

We have a great deal of experience building for psychiatry and psycho-geriatrics in the broadest sense. Specialist psychiatric hospitals, nursing homes, small-scale group facilities, outpatient clinics and independent housing - we have been allowed to supply all forms with functional, suitable housing.

We keep close track of developments in psychiatry and are actively involved with scientific research in this area. New insights and the accompanying types of therapy lead to innovative and flexible design concepts. Because we empathize with the needs and possibilities of residents and users, we are able to thoroughly analyse the design brief. We intensively consult with psychiatrists, nurses, supervisors and patient representatives, but also with technical service managers. We have experience with this multiformity in our clients' demands.

In addition to fine-tuning the design to healthcare, we act as discussion partners for our clients with regard to the development of their healthcare real estate portfolio. Nowadays, sustainability, maintenance and administration are subjects that are important for the exploitation and use of a building, and thus they are an integral part of the design.

WE CREATE LIVING AND WORKING ENVIRONMENTS FOR ALL USERS, WHICH ARE PLEASANT, SAFE AND READY FOR THE FUTURE

Residential (healthcare) complex

We have many years of knowledge and experience in the area of healthcare and housing construction. As a result, we are one of the leading firms for residential (healthcare) services. As such, we contributed to the development of 'Geboden Toegang' (which would translate as 'access prescribed'), the internationally famous handbook for the accessible and usable design and construction for the disabled. We always contribute our ideas when discussing care processes and contemporary housing requirements with our clients, as well as discussing efficient and sustainable building management.

Residential and healthcare facilities are currently experiencing a major transition. As a result of government measures, focus is shifting from large-scale complexes to small-scale care services and facilities in neighbourhoods, and made-to-measure care at home. The care plan increasingly makes an appeal to relatives and volunteer caregivers. This leads to new concepts of care accommodation and accommodation for care provided by volunteer caregivers. In addition, the repurposing of care accommodation complexes is a topical subject in order to be able to offer cost-effective facilities to those in need of care.

Care hotel

A care hotel or recovery accommodation can allow for a smoother flow of patient traffic after hospitalization, and makes for an excellent preparation for returning to the home situation. These facilities allow breathing space for patients in a comfortable and attractive environment. Guests can call on a doctor or nurse and can make use of all hotel services; from restaurant and room service to wellness facilities. A new version of the use of care hotels is the development of healthcare tourism.