Noorderbrug - NL

Projet: Centre de soins Noorderbrug 

Pays/ville: Pays-bas/Groningen

Architecte: Aat Vos Architecture

Poseurs: Cobra Afbouwtechniek

Photographe: Marco Heyda

Surface: 2,500 m²

“The ceilings make a distinctive contribution to the well-being of everyone who lives and works here because they provide a pleasant room acoustic”
Marianne van der Harten of the De Noorderbrug Board of Directors

De Noorderbrug is a specialist care centre for people with acquired brain injury, deafness with additional complex problems or a chronic neurological disorder. De Noorderbrug supports some 2,000 clients in 90 municipalities. In the years ahead, De Noorderbrug will be building new care centres in the northern part of the Netherlands. This will be done in close consultation with staff, clients and their families. The first care centre, the Groningen Care Centre (Wooncentrum Groningen), was completed in December 2014. The Groningen Care Centre is unique in caring for the physically disabled. It provides 100 stand-alone apartments for residents with a physical disability.

For and by clients

De Noorderbrug has asked Aat Vos to create an inspiring and special living environment in collaboration with clients and their families. Aat Vos himself says: “The starting point for the interior design was the development of something for and by the users themselves. At various workshops, clients indicated which functions they thought were important for the rooms, and what atmosphere the rooms should have. Each floor has a different level of care. This was expressed by preferences for – and clear differences in – themes and colours. Included in this were such aspects as a library, sports facility, cafe, garden and forest. The themes determined the options for the spatial design.”

Blue ceilings like the Norwegian sky

A single theme runs like a red thread through the interior: Norway’s evening light. 

The ceilings are blue all over in a gradient from East to West, just as it appears in the natural evening light. The Focus Lp ceilings are mounted across the width of the corridor with visible seams. This creates an undisturbed pattern as the intense blue runs to light blue. There is even greater emphasis on the ceiling structure due to the meandering structure in which all the apartments are situated. 

Acoustic value and colour

Aat Vos: “I’m very pleased with Ecophon’s ceilings. We’ve used four colours. These blue colours signify something essential in the well-being of people in the building. In choosing the ceiling we’ve also, of course, taken into account what was needed for the acoustics. If we’d painted over ordinary panels, the acoustic value would never have been what it is now. The ceiling system is probably an Ecophon standard product, but it is specifically applied in this design with the colours used, the direction of the colours used and, of course, the absorption capacity.” 

“It was very nice to note how the story behind the ceiling affected everyone during the decision-making and installation process: the involvement of all parties – installer, supplier and contractor – was clearly evident”
Aat Vos, architect

Distinctive and colourful

The result is a very lively care centre with distinctive colours that reflect the natural atmospheric images, as indicated by the residents. Every floor is different. Ten different living rooms in total furnished with specially designed wallpaper, adapted curtains and themed accessories and furniture.

A great place in which to live, work and meet

Marianne van der Harten, De Noorderbrug Board of Directors: “The construction of the Groningen Care Centre was a dynamic process in which everyone surpassed their limits. And this created a building based on our vision, core values and corporate social responsibility. In collaboration with clients, their families, staff, construction team, advisers and suppliers. The residents are very happy with their living areas. We’re also happy that we made the right choices with regard to the acoustics. “The ceilings make a distinctive contribution to the well-being of everyone who lives and works here because they provide a pleasant room acoustic.”