Silverforum, Eindhoven

The Silver Forum building is part of a very special industrial park in Eindhoven that was developed in the vicinity of Eindhoven Airport. In general, industrial parks are characterised by a division of 45% buildings (halls and offices) and 55% open spaces (loading and unloading, parking and green space). The drastic privatisation of this division leads to fragmenting of the space. The industrial grounds are distinguished by inefficient use of space and are characterless. MVRDV architects launched the idea of building businesses on to each other, and prohibiting side and rear elevations. Clusters of buildings therefore spring up with a succession of communal forecourts for parking, loading and unloading. Between the clusters, which lie as a sort of boulder on the landscape, it is possible to create big continuous green areas. The open structure, with a “parking lane”, is aimed at processing all the traffic in the most efficient way possible.

The constructions, covered by a silver skin and the rounding of the façade as a transition to the roof, emphasises the concept of a "droplet", of one volume. The aerodynamic form hints at a link to the vicinity of the airport and at the same time makes the size of the building bearable. The building with its tensed, sleek skin radiates business efficiency and dynamism. Phase 1 with a surface area of 33,749 m² was delivered in April 2002 and occupied by ASML. 

Flexibility

The building is very divisible and flexible. The application of a sprinkler installation makes it possible to design an undivided space. The length of the escape routes determined the position of stairwells and thereby the possible entrances. By executing strong standardisation in the façade greater flexibility was possible in the use of the space behind. Therefore, by using one type of overhead door in the first instance, there were fewer restrictions as to what could be placed behind the door: a loading and unloading zone, the operations hall, an engineering room or a bicycle shed. The floors on the first level in the ring can be used according to the needs of the users: as office space or as storage space. The sprinkler basin is situated within the circumference of the building. The patio, which originated in this way, ensures the entry of light and air into the spaces that are positioned around the patio.