EVA transforms old printing house into multifunctional building in the netherlands

located within brakkenstein park in nijmegen, netherlands, this old printing house from the 1930s, has been transformed into a refectory, archive and office space by EVA architecten. the renovated building is used as an additional unit to a nursing home and it houses functions that are essential to both residents and staff. a restaurant for non-residents has been included to the design, as well. 

all images by luuk kramer

EVA architecten decided to remove all but one of the later extensions of the old printing house, as they had little to no spatial or functional value. in this way, the building was ‘peeled’ and returned close to its initial form, that has been appraised for its architecture. a new structure has been constructed adjacent to the pre-existing volume, clearly showing the difference of age and style in the two buildings. the ground floor is as transparent as possible to maximize daylight access and to provide a full view of the park. 

the rhythm and use of open/close contrast is evident in the overall design, with the closed parts that look like a printing plate, subtly referring to the past use of the building. the anodized bronze color is reflected in the frames of the main residential unit and the color matches the wood features of it. the upper floor features anodised aluminium slats, the same material as the frames of the main bulding. the offices are located on this floor, where all functions are recognizable in the design and materialization. 

project info: 

name: de drukkerij
architects: EVA architecten 
location: nijmegen, the netherlands
area: 1500 m2 
facade: interdam
structural engineering: JVZ
engineering installations: ABT
interior architect: NEST
landscape architect: kees tolk

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