Mirador Nature Activity Centre, Holland Building, Dutch Design Competition News

Mirador Nature Activity Centre, Ostvaardersland

Ostvaardersland Building, The Netherlands design by Allard Architecture, Holland

16 Sep 2009

Mirador Nature Activity Centre Holland

Location: Ostvaardersland, The Netherlands

Design: Allard Architecture

Rather than another futile attempt at architecture disguised as nature, Allard Architecture proposed an architectural artefact that both enhances and interacts with its natural surroundings.

Mirador Nature Activity Centre, Ostvaardersland

Imposed site challenges are absorbed through the structure which not only acts as an iconic visual reference, but connects the upper level dike and main road with the lower landscape.

The form of the Mirador Nature Activity Centre in Ostvaardersland proposal is a product of the rational stacking of programs which are arranged through a zonal hierarchy based upon an interactive narrative: the entrance zone (lobby, shop and information); the mirador zone (restaurant, multi-use room and sky terrace); and the immersion zone (exhibition space, offices, dressing room and flexible rooms).

From the entrance zone: stepped inclined floors become a connector to the immersion zone and serve as a flexible area for conference rooms, classrooms, reading areas and as a continuation of the exhibition space. There is also a connection via vertical circulation to connect with the mirador zone, giving an unobstructed view of the natural surroundings.

Mirador Nature Activity Centre Mirador Nature Activity Centre Mirador Nature Activity Centre Mirador Nature Activity Centre

The building mass is designed with a narrow footprint that varies between ten and twelve metres in width. This enables the building to maintain optimum day lighting and allows a natural ventilation strategy to be utilised for heat control.

Cladding materials have been suitably chosen depending on program and the integration of photovoltaic cells are used where less transparency is required. The green roof system is used for reducing the fluctuation in internal temperature whilst simultaneously harvesting and filtering grey water for building services.

Mirador Nature Activity Centre images / information from Allard Architecture

Allard Architecture

Location: Ostvaardersland, The Netherlands, western Europe

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