Residential Tower Cunabula Next to Thialf Stadium Reaches Finish Line

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JaapJan Berg (Architectenweb)
 

René van Zuuk Architecten has designed a residential tower for top athletes in Heerenveen, featuring a striking façade. The building, named Cunabula, combines 112 apartments with sports facilities. It specifically targets athletes who use the amenities of the adjacent national speed skating arena.

The project was developed and built by Zwanenburg on the so-called Vesta location, where a furniture retail park previously stood. The building’s massing and floorplans were designed by VDZ architecten. To better match the undoubtedly ambitious mindset of its future residents, it was decided to equip the building with a fitting façade. A design competition was held for this purpose, which was won by René van Zuuk Architecten.

Imagination
If the name Cunabula (Latin for cradle) is a clear nod to the formative early stage of top athletes on their path to eternal fame, then the façade is a visualization of their gilded aspirations. Van Zuuk devised nine golden, perforated façade bands that are wrapped and draped around the building. The color and bold design serve as an unambiguous reminder to the residents of what is expected of them. Of course, young athletes can also use the façade bands as a kind of visual pep talk after a grueling training session or a disappointing qualification tournament.

References
Even more interesting is the visual, architectural play René van Zuuk Architecten may be engaging in. The nine bands not only largely obscure the underlying façade but also clad it. This could very well reference Gottfried Semper’s theories on the relationship and distinction between structural frameworks and wall cladding. At the same time, there are associative ties to the “Decorated Shed” principle by Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown, and Steven Izenour — the idea of a neutral, functional box whose meaning is added through ornamentation or decoration. Lastly, even associations with “dazzle painting” aren’t far-fetched — the camouflage technique used in WWI to obscure the true contours of ships.

Statement
At its core, however, Van Zuuk aimed to design a functional, breathable, light, and dynamic façade. Each golden façade band subtly changes shape per floor, preventing a monotonous pattern. The bands are made of Kalzip aluminum standing seam profiles, mounted on brackets up to 1.5 meters from the façade. These brackets also allow for the installation of planters, opening up the possibility of a partially green façade. The second skin, as the architect refers to it, softens and conceals the strict rhythm of the underlying windows. The horizontal gaps between the bands provide enough openness to read the building's levels and ensure that residents and users maintain ample outward views.

Cunabula was designed by the architects as an architectural ode to sport. It is a bold signal in the landscape, visually emphasizing both itself and the nearby Thialf stadium.