2016 was a year of many highlights and other exciting developments for Mecanoo. With only a few more December days ahead, we look back at some of the defining moments.
In January, the first phase of the Municipal Offices in Delft was completed. Construction of the second phase of the massive project continued throughout the year and is set to be completed early 2017.
The construction of Zaans Medical Centre in Zaandam was completed in September. The BREEAM-NL Very Good certified hospital building will be in use from January 2017. In Leiden, the Netherlands, no less than three major projects were completed: ID College and ROC Leiden, Langebrug Student Housing, and the Leo Kanner College.
The Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol celebrated its Grand Opening in February. In November, the hotel received the European Hotel Design Award for best newbuilt hotel. HOME, the much loved Manchester arts centre won both regional and national RIBA Awards. Other awarded projects in 2016, include the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building, Three Cultural Centers & One Book Mall, and the Delft Station ceiling.
In March, Francine Houben received an Honorary Doctorate from Utrecht University for her “thoughtful and interdisciplinary solutions contribute to a well-functioning urbanity.” June, saw the first screening of the documentary film, ‘A legacy of Mies and King’ which tells the story of the revitalisation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, DC.
In May, Mecanoo created a large model – ‘The Mecanoo Mansion’ – for the exhibition 'At Home in Britain: Designing the House of Tomorrow' at The Architecture Gallery in London. The model focused on the communal spaces within a block of flats, showing a new potential of mixing housing types and collective amenities for students, families and the elderly.
Early in the year, Mecanoo launched its collaboration with Gispen, the Room to Learn platform and the HUBB modular furniture series. In September, the first implementation of HUBB was realised at the R4 building at Rachelsmolen Campus of Fontys University of Applied Sciences in Eindhoven.
With a portfolio of libraries in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and ongoing library projects in the United States, Mecanoo added a great new library project in Taiwan upon winning the Tainan Public Library competition. In November, the first designs were released of the renovation of New York Public Library’s Mid-Manhattan branch.
Mecanoo revealed the designs for Kaohsiung Station in June. The design features a spectacular curvilinear shape and landscaped canopy. In October, Eden Soestdijk, a equally exciting design which also integrated landscape and architecture was presented to the public.
Major construction progression was made on Eurojust, the Three Cultural Centers in Shenzhen, the Córdoba Palace of Justice, and @Home, the first zero-energy residential tower in the Netherlands. The masterplan and first phase of the regeneration of South Thamesmead and Abbey Wood received planning permission, as did the Manchester Engineering Campus Development.
As much as we enjoy looking back, we cannot wait to see what 2017 will have to offer. We expect many projects completing, new collaborations, new projects, and above all we will be prepared for (un)predictable change.
Mecanoo wishes you a happy new year / gelukkig nieuwjaar / feliz año nuevo / 新年快樂