The Becelhuis is part of the characteristic factory complex on the former Unilever premises located on the southbank of the river Maas in Rotterdam. In 2017 the margarine and spreads department demerged from Unilever and continued as an independent global company named Upfield.
The program of requirements for the transformation of the Becelhuis consists of an office program for the R&D department with several flexible workspaces, a professional kitchen with tasting counter and informal meeting rooms to provide various spaces for agile working. To create space for the new interior, two floors of the building have been cleared. In the center a new large void is linking both levels. A grand staircase is positioned in the void to connect the two floors. The wide steps of the staircase can be used as an informal meeting place, the tables attached to the railing on the upper floor as lap top work tables. The meeting rooms have functions integrated in the walls, like telephone booths, repro spaces, product displays and space for technical installations. All these facilities present themselves as one large furniture piece in the interior which extends over the full length of both the office floors. Sustainability has been a main issue during the design process. Through intensive reuse and transformation, the building use has been optimized.
