ARCHITECTUURGIDS.NL / ARCHITECTUREGUIDE.NL

SUGAR CITY

SOETERS VAN ELDONK, 2000-2008, Haarlemmerstraatweg 3, Halfweg

ARCHITECT(URAL OFFICE):
Soeters Van Eldonk

PROJECT ARCHITECT:
Jos van Eldonk

ARCHITECT(URAL OFFICE):
Sjoerd Soeters
Jos van Eldonk

BUILDING TYPE:
Office buildings
Reuse
Industrial and public-utility buildings

In 1864, after the reclamation of Haarlemmermeer, a sugar factory was built in the village of Halfweg round the local water board building (Gemeenlandshuis) designed by Pieter Post. The factory was closed down in 1992. Renamed Sugar City, the industrial complex has been given a new lease of life as office space, a multiplex cinema, a conference centre and a restaurant. The two cylindrical silos from 1965, 50 metres high and 30 metres across, have been refurbished as offices by inserting 12 floors and a central core of vertical transport and toilets. Window openings were sawn in the concrete to allow in daylight, their lozenge shape recalling Melnikov's house in Moscow. Only 352 of the 600 or so windows are glazed; the others are there simply to complete the abstract diagonal pattern. The concrete walls are aluminium clad.