Het Anker

Zigzagging in the landscape

The Het Anker multi-purpose complex in Zwolle, the Netherlands, by MoederscheimMoonen Architects Netherlands strikes with its zigzagging form that flows with the sloping site. The community center includes educational facilities, performance halls and recreational spaces meant to draw together people from different neighborhoods.

It takes advantage of the height differences found at the site. An ample part of the complex is located below ground. The roof emphasizes the most important parts of the building and its surroundings and opens out onto the key public zones. The landscape and the building intersect half-way along the side wall, where the design incorporates a grand entrance area. Both entrances come together at a recess in the façade, where they are linked by a staircase. The façade design with ALUCOBOND® in Sparkling White Silver, Champagne metallic and Bronze metallic is an important part of a dynamic experience of the building. The vertical layout and the angle of incidence are decisive for the visual connection with the interior and the landscape.

 “In our view, a public building’s appeal isn’t always determined by its transparency. It’s also about drawing people in and veiling what they see,” said the architects.