The Zonneboom, which refers to a bright tree, is a multifunctional building that includes two primary schools, sports facilities, a nursery, after school service and separate reception rooms to rent out.

Traditional roof shape

Simone Drost from Drost + van Veen architecten remembers the challenges of the project: “The quarter was divided into two parts, and we wanted the new facilities to be more integrated. The building is located in a green area that was built in the last century. The typical sharp shape of the local roofs constitutes an interesting architectural feature, which is why we wanted Zonneboom to be built in that way”. This desire was difficult to combine with the program as the architect explains: “That type of sharp high roof requires a lot of square meters, which is expensive to cover. We still wanted to do something with the shape but to build a flat one. Of course, we paid attention to the material: Ceramic.”

Tactile and durable material

The form of the building is complex and the use of a different material on one of the façades was difficult to set up. In the centre of the building, a brightly coloured staircase leads to the different floors. The hall is lower than the others levels. Simone Drost says: “We chose a monolithic building, which really stands for the district’s centre. For the façade, we wanted a tactile and durable material that would perfectly fit the building”.

The combination of brickwork and tiles seemed obvious but the architects were concerned that the building would not contrast enough with the already existing buildings and pavements that are made from bricks and pavers. So they choose Wienerberger ceramic roof tiles, which match the colours of the green areas. The effect is quite beautiful; especially thanks to the shadows of the Biber tiles that provides the building with relief. A leaf motif was chosen as a decorative element. “The leaf is a direct reference to the green area”, says the architect van Veen. From a distance, the leaf motif becomes clearer, while the tile’s shape fades away.