Heineken:

As project architect, Marlies was responsible for the renovation of the Heineken Experience from April 2020 to April 2022. She was hired as a freelancer for this job by Ideal Projects. Marlies was responsible for all design aspects of this large-scale renovation in her role. This included the draft design, preliminary design, final design, building application, tender based on DO+ with the contractor, contractor selection, monument care and aesthetics, working drawings and details and the implementation. The complexity of this assignment was considerable. The routing on the ground floor and first floor for the public and staff has been adjusted and made much clearer and safer. Five different building parts from different periods have been tackled and connections have been made. On the ground floor, first floor and basement, the following functions have been adapted and added: the entire public entrance, entrance for special events, new shop, two cloakrooms, two toilet groups, Heineken Create, meeting rooms and offices. On the 6th and 7th floor, a new bar has been created in the former Moutzolder with access to a new large roof terrace, both now also accessible to the public. With this design, both the use of the building and the visitor experience have been brought to a significantly more effective and sustainable higher level. Original features of the old brewery have been made visible as much as possible during this renovation, such as the bellies of the old brewing kettles, which have all been restored. The most spectacular intervention is the cut-through kettle as access to the new entrance hall. From the split-level floor at the Events entrance, the brewing kettles have been made visible from both above and below through two conical funnels. There are many exciting views that now visually connect the different parts of the building. From the street it is possible to catch a glimpse of the entrance hall all the way at the back. The large window at the Events elevators is beautifully fitted and aligned and gives a view over the entire entrance hall. Different visitors can see each other walking on different levels, which gives a lot of liveliness and connection.The choice of materials is carefully chosen everywhere and spectacular in many places. The integration of technology has been included from the start of the project, and is therefore invisible in many places. Air installations are often concealed in fixed furniture via recessed skirting boards. The lighting is subtle or exuberant, always to support the architecture. The building at the rear has been completely demolished and replaced by new construction to make room for the large entrance hall, here the large self-spanning volume is completely covered with 10,000 characteristic Heineken bottles, which makes the Heineken brand visible in the new construction in a contemporary way.

photography: Ricky Rijkenberg