ING House | The only building in the world that has the shape of a shoe

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Sleek and futuristic, our glass and aluminium ING House occupies a kind of no man’s land. Flanking a busy road (the A10), with the high-rise Zuidas business area on one side and the green belt of the Nieuwe Meer on the other, the location is a border zone. In this ambiguous territory, we set out to create a building that would not only fulfil our client’s complex needs, but also bring joy to every occupant – from board member to receptionists. Raising our glass-skinned structure on stilts enables every work and meeting space to look out towards an energising city view, rather than the road and embankment.

Raising the building in this way also allowed room at ground level for a spacious entrance zone. The glazed entrance lobby is surrounded by green lawns. Running underneath the building is an approach road for taxis, coaches and board members’ chauffeurs.

A car park and bicycle garage are located below grade. The auditorium and its foyer can be used by the entire ING group and has its own entrance with lifts.

The building responds to its surroundings with an ‘intelligent’ facade design. The long south elevation has to contend with a high solar heat load and the north elevation with noise and air pollution from the A10 motorway.

A double-skin facade ensures a pleasant indoor climate for all, with the possibility of natural ventilation. On the south side, solar shading hangs in the facade cavity; a natural chimney effect extracts solar heat. The glazed skin on the motorway side is closed and the cavity is supplied with fresh air drawn from the south side.

Source: Archdaily.com , MSVA Architects