Technology, science and culture merge with working, living and leisure at the Philips Business Innovation Centre, known as FiftyTwoDegrees, in Nijmegen. In contrast with the previous high-security production and research complex located on this site, the new centre stimulates innovation by creating opportunities for interaction and collaboration, thus becoming an icon for business and innovation in Nijmegen.
FiftyTwoDegrees forms the first phase of an extensive master plan around Neerbosscheweg road. The 86-metre-high tower rises from a sloped plane of grass, with a car park underneath, which connects the building to the surrounding landscape of the business park. The lower eight floors of the seventeen-storey building tilt at a ten-degree angle, as if gesturing invitingly to the city.
The second phase will see the sloping plane arch over Neerbosscheweg road, establishing a direct link with the city, Goffert Stadium and the new Goffert light rail station. The entrance to the building is located in the plinth that connects to the second floor of the tower. The office and laboratory floors have a flexible layout.
Special ceilings enable occupants to personalize the internal climate in each workspace and allow laboratory spaces to accommodate different test scenarios and measuring equipment. Prefabricated panels, arranged in an abstract pixel-like pattern on the facade, significantly reduced construction time.