Eindhoven, The Netherlands

 Marco Vermeulen and his team at Studio Marco Vermeulen have designed “The Dutch Mountains” in a central location on the Brook Valley of the Dommel area as one of the first new projects in the railway zone of Eindhoven, which is exploding with a new mix of development for a living, working and meeting people and as an internationally oriented center to be built here in the coming years.

The two 130 and 100 meter-towers with offices, housing, and a hotel come together in a collective winter garden. 

The sculptural building looks different from different points of view and “moves”’ with the passers-by via the railway or via Professor Dorgelolaan. 

A large part of the building will be constructed in cross-laminated glued timber (CLT).

In this district, where the Dommel crosses the railway, is the location where The Dutch Mountains will be built. 

This place connects the city center of Eindhoven with the campus of Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). 

The Dutch Mountains will form the link between the city districts with a diverse and lively program and striking architecture.

The main entrance to The Dutch Mountains is located directly at Dommel Park.

The Dutch Mountains are a stone’s throw from Eindhoven Central Station and the bus station. 

The city center can easily be reached on foot or by bicycle via the adjacent tunnel under the railway. 

The two towers of The Dutch Mountains are visible from much of Eindhoven and beyond. 

The building, therefore, has a sculptural main form that is recognizable from a great distance and functions as a beacon. 

It looks different from different points of view. 

The two rectangular towers each have a wider and a narrow side and are different in height; approximately 130 meters to the Prof. Dorgelolaan and approximately 100 meters on the railway side.

The main form is created by connecting the two towers in a fluid way; the facade becomes the roof and the roof becomes the facade again. 

The towers are therefore inextricably linked. 

The elegant lines of the facade transition into that of the “voile,” a roof construction of laminated wooden beams that gives the building finesse and character, and which is visible from the central interior space.

This green interior space connects the various program components with each other and with the environment. 

A wide staircase with seating and plants leads to the first floor where the conference center and restaurant are located. 

All floors in the substructure lead to roof terraces that adjoin this interior space. 

These terraces are connected to the ground floor and thus to the Dommel Park via stairs. 

With this theatrical route (mountain path) the users of the building are encouraged to take the stairs instead of the elevator.

A large part of the building will be constructed in solid wood (CLT) harvested from sustainably managed forests. 

CO2 is stored in that material for a longer period of time so that it contributes to the reduction of the number of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. CO2 emissions are also prevented because less steel and concrete are used than in conventional buildings. 

The building will largely be prefabricated and assembled on-site in a relatively short time.

Although not visible in every place, the wood gives a tactile quality to the interior. The material is especially visible in the substructure, where floors, columns, and roof construction are made of wood.  The wooden ceilings are clearly visible in the towers.

Not all parts of the building can be made of wood or other bio-based materials. 

The most heavily loaded constructive parts (including lift cores) of the building are made of concrete. Τo reduce sound transmission, the tops of the floors in the living area are also made of concrete. 

The south and west facades are fitted with solar panels in a color scheme that matches the rest of the façade. Natural principles are used as much as possible to control the indoor climate of The Dutch Mountains. 

Rainwater that falls on the roofs is collected in the building. 

With an irrigation system that is visible in the central area (a babbling artificial stream of open gutters and waterfalls), this water is used for planting in the ‘valley’ of the building. 

Any excess rainwater is drained along this road to the Dommel. 

The required heat and cooling for The Dutch Mountains are obtained from a thermal energy source.

The three lower floors of The Dutch Mountains are all about encounters. 

This part of the building, therefore, includes catering, sports facilities, shops, meeting rooms, exhibition space, and a large conference room. 

These functions are connected by the publicly accessible spacious entrance hall.

The lower layers of the towers above the plinth are arranged as offices and workplaces. 

These openwork floors adjoin terraces that have a view of the collective interior space where there is always something to do.

The northeast tower is formed by homes, more than half of which are in the middle segment. 

A hotel and short-stay apartments are located in the southwestern tower. 

At the very top of this tower is the rooftop bar, with a 360-degree view over Eindhoven and the surrounding area.

Project: The Dutch Mountains
Architects: Studio Marco Vermeulen
Design Team: Marco Vermeulen, Joost van der Waal, Bertus van Woerden, and Jasper Veldhuis
Collaborators: BLOC, Urban Xchange, and Lingotto