To mark this anniversary, the LIAG team is reflecting on several notable projects from our past this year. One project that holds special significance for Harmen Landman is the Faculty of Education at the University of Applied Sciences of Arnhem and Nijmegen (HAN). "We celebrated both the deepest and highest points of construction on this project," says Harmen. "For example, we placed a time capsule to mark the start of construction. It will be quite a discovery for future generations of archaeologists—if they find it, that is. The capsule lies beneath the four-story underground parking garage." The building has won many awards over the years. In addition to various sustainability awards, the faculty was also named the most livable building in the Netherlands in 2014.
"LIAG created the master plan for the HAN campus in Nijmegen at the time. Within that master plan, the Faculty of Education formed the keystone and the face of the campus," Harmen explains. "The location, an elongated plot, determined the building's unique appearance." The building's distinctive design features two wings positioned side by side. "In one wing, the upper floors are set back from the lower ones, while in the other wing, the upper floors project outward beyond the lower ones," describes Harmen. "The result is both spectacular and functional. The recessed wing is planted with greenery to offer students an attractive landscape for studying. Meanwhile, the overhanging section ensures that the plaza in front of the building remains a pleasant place to spend time during summer months."
Besides the striking design, Harmen particularly remembers the technical challenges of this project. "The bend in the plot halfway through is extended into the floor plan. The floors are positioned at specific angles to each other, with the upper floors extending over the lower ones. This caused many headaches, both architecturally and structurally." "Eventually, I managed to solve the puzzle by rotating the structural grid on each floor, though this meant that the columns and walls would be positioned at angles," Harmen continues. "The structural engineer found this solution interesting, but for the installation technicians, it was mostly confusing. During construction, I received a phone call: 'Should we use the grid pattern of the floor or the ceiling for setting up the pipes?' Thankfully, everything worked out perfectly in the end."
