Gasunie Building

The Gasunie Building is one of the most famous buildings in Groningen, Netherlands. It was built as a headquarters for Gasunie and was officially opened on 22 April 1994 by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. The building has 18 floors and is high, which makes it the third tallest building in Groningen, the first being the Martinitoren. It is in the south of the city, on the edge of the Stadspark and right next to the main highways.

History

The old Gasunie building facilities could not meet the needs of growing number of the employees. After evaluation of economic and practical issues, it was decided to build a new building. The project started in 1989 with selecting a suitable site and creating a list of requirements, which architects should have implemented in their proposals.

Architecture

The design of the building was developed by Alberts and Van Huut architects bureau and is considered to be a great example of ‘organic building’. There are two distinct parts in the building: high-rise section with offices and low-rise section with meeting rooms and service facilities. One of the main features of the building is its unique stairwell with glass ‘waterfall’ which is high and wide. The floors of the building are visually linked by this glass wall, which creates a sense of unity and space.