Fiftytwodegrees: The New Center that Merges Working, Living, and Leisure

FiftyTwoDegrees is a facility that reflects science, technology, and culture, merging all these aspects with working, living, and leisure at the Philips Business Innovation Center. Located in Nijmegen, Netherlands, the building was designed by Mecanoo.

The FiftyTwoDegrees is the polar opposite of the previous high-security production and research complex. The building aims to stimulate innovation by offering opportunities for collaboration and interaction. That being the case, the FiftyTwoDegrees is seen as an icon for business and innovation in Nijmegen.

The first phase of the project formed around Neerbosscheweg road. There is an 86-meter-high tower that rises from a sloped plane of grass intact with a car park underneath the construction. The tower itself bridges the building and the surrounding landscape of the business park. The second phase will be more focused on the sloping plane arch over Neerbosscheweg road. This phase will help create a direct link with the city, Goffert Stadium, and the new Goffert light rail station.

You can enter the building through the entrance set in the plinth which will direct you to the second floor of the tower. Specifically for the laboratory and office floors, the firm chose a flexible layout.

The FiftyTwoDegrees consists of 17 stories. The lower eight floors are ten degrees out of plumb. Those floors offer an inviting gesture towards the city. Prefabricated panels were arranged in an abstract pixel-like pattern on the façade. The use of the panels is necessary to significantly reduce construction time.

The building also has lawn roof with parking area underneath. Here is the look of the parking area from the inside. It has proper lighting for ease maneuver for parking purposes. There are special ceilings that enable the occupants to personalize the internal climate in each workspace. The ceiling also allows laboratory spaces to facilitate different test scenarios and measuring equipment.

Via Mecanoo