‘Waste equals food’ – this motto inspired Michael Braungart and William McDonough to define the cradle-to-cradle design concept based on closed-loop cycles of materials, energy and water. The Dutch city of Venlo was one of the first municipalities in the world to adopt this principle, and has, in the meantime, developed several buildings in line with it.
The largest was completed at the end of 2016 and accommodates around 600 municipal workers as well as the town’s citizen’s service centre. The new-build is located on a busy junction on the outskirts of the city centre. An L-shaped base shields the neighbouring residential area from the traffic to the north and west. A nine-storey tower with two contrasting facades rises up from the plinth. The southern elevation has horizontal ribbon windows and protruding brise soleil; the north facade, an area of almost 2,000 m2, on the other hand, is planted throughout with plants growing in soil-filled plastic modules.
The largest was completed at the end of 2016 and accommodates around 600 municipal workers as well as the town’s citizen’s service centre. The new-build is located on a busy junction on the outskirts of the city centre. An L-shaped base shields the neighbouring residential area from the traffic to the north and west. A nine-storey tower with two contrasting facades rises up from the plinth. The southern elevation has horizontal ribbon windows and protruding brise soleil; the north facade, an area of almost 2,000 m2, on the other hand, is planted throughout with plants growing in soil-filled plastic modules.