Strong democratic values

‘Because projects such as these are long and complex processes, it’s important to collaborate effectively – and preferably as soon as possible. When we found out that we had won the competition, we were happy to hear that our design perfectly reflected the ICC’s criteria of transparency, fairness, trust, respect, and democracy. It was a match made in heaven, as these same values are anchored in Danish architectural design as well as in our firm’s philosophy. We recognized ourselves in the ICC’s briefing, and vice versa. Besides, it’s a very comprehensive design, being the product of a careful process of consultation that involves listening, making the client feel at ease, and being willing to adjust your design to the client’s requirements. It’s all about effective collaboration and establishing mutual trust and respect. Of course, while architectural design is a form of art, it’s ultimately about designing a functional building that meets users’ requirements. This is one of our strong selling points, if I may say so: the process of engaging with the end user. I believe this factor should be one of the driving forces behind the design.’

‘We also decided to follow the BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology) criteria in our design. The goal was not to so much to obtain the certificate as to incorporate as many features as possible that enhance the building’s sustainability. This was only logical given the natural environment surrounding the premises, as well as the specific landscaping. An additional factor to consider was the complex’s location in a water catchment area, which entails strict regulations with regards to the materials that may be used. In light of this, the offices have a hot and cold water system in the floors that corresponds to water production outside the site, and all of the lighting uses LED lamps. There’s also a heat exchanger that is the largest of its kind in the Netherlands, green roofs, water-saving taps and toilets, and rainwater is filtered and used in the building. Last, but certainly not least, we used Mosa’s cradle-to-cradle tiles. Overall, we constantly paid close attention to sustainability.’

Safe and sound

Striking the balance between the need for security and transparency was another issue we had to tackle. It goes without saying that security is a major issue for the ICC, so we had to integrate features such as CCTV cameras and security gates into the design. However, we also had to consider how the users of the building would react to safety features, hence we designed these features to be as discreet as possible in order for the building to retain its transparency. The care taken to ensure transparency was reflected in the surrounding landscape. As it is free of barriers, anyone inside the building is in direct contact with the landscape – users sense no feeling of confrontation. In that respect, the layout of the building dictates how safe people feel.’

The ICC is here to stay

‘The old building used to be a landmark, but, unfortunately, it was too small and not fit for the purpose, status, and aims of today’s ICC. The new building, which measures 54,000 square metres and has up to 1,200 workstations and three courts, incorporates all the values that the ICC currently stands for. I must say, I’m extremely proud of it,’ says Denis Olette, with a modest smile on his face. He continues: ‘We handed over the keys in November 2015, marking the end of our involvement in this seven-year project. It is, and has been, a fantastic experience. It’s amazing to see premises like these evolve from paper to a complete construction. During the opening, I talked to several employees at ICC, who told me how proud they are to work there. They now have a building that embodies their mission statement to the world, sending out a powerful message that ICC is here to do what needs to be done.’