Vision
Meaningful architecture
Our climate is getting warmer. With noticeable effects. The pace of technological developments is also increasing all the time. Our thinking about culture, communications and spatial perception is changing accordingly. That is also true of how we see the spaces where we live, work, learn, play sports, relax and receive care.
It is precisely in this changing world that BRTArchitecten makes a contribution with its meaningful architecture. Architecture that relates to the identity of the client, the user, the individuality of the location and the social context.
Searching for dialogue, discovering the essence
Our approach leaves plenty of room for dialogue. Intensive communications are essential to create meaningful architecture. We shape integral designs in partnership with the client, the users and consultants.
By listening carefully and picking up a feel for the programme, we can create pleasant surroundings for users. Surroundings that surprise and inspire. Where people feel at home.
People are central
A building affects the location, the atmosphere, the moods of people and their well-being. Architecture has social significance. As architects, we see things from the users' point of view: a small child, an elderly lady, an aerobics class, a student, an office worker, and so on. Our buildings have to be comfortable, warm and friendly, a safe environment. The users are central!
The courage of convictions
Buildings are profoundly influenced by their physical safety, and vice-versa. Sometimes, buildings should shout; sometimes, they must whisper. Light, rhythm, scale, texture and colour are the tools we use to give our buildings the right 'tone'. That is how we let our buildings speak: about their users, the situational context or social relevance. They must express their convictions.
Creating links
People enjoy beautiful buildings and pleasant surroundings. That means they will take care of them. They feel at ease in them. So high-quality architectural concepts are socially relevant.
The link between the present, the past and the future, the individuality of the location and the qualitative intentions of the client constitute the context for a design challenge. And it is that context that BRTArchitecten emphasises in all its projects to ensure a positive relationship with the spatial setting. The aim is establish a relationship between users and our rapidly changing society.
We are always looking at the things around us in new ways. We establish unexpected links and we are open to new ideas. We challenge the natural order of things.
Well-being
BRTArchitecten believes that care for a healthy living environment is important. Good buildings where it is pleasant to be boost people's vitality. In addition to good air quality and pleasant daylight in a spacious environment, recent technological developments have provided us with numerous tools that we use to create sustainable architecture. Domotics applications, electronic communications where all sorts of electronic features contribute to the health, well-being and the safety of people in our buildings.
Sustainable building
The Earth belongs to everybody. She is just on loan to us for a while. That makes us responsible. We're not living in an ivory tower; we want to make the best possible contribution to a sustainable society by using our ability to empathise, our expertise and our creativity. As architects, we have a social ideal. Our inspiration is the community. We want our architecture to make a sustainable contribution
Critical environmental building
At BRTArchitecten, we have a critical approach to the environment. We devote a lot of energy to sustainable building options. Since the 1980s, we have developed, designed and used alternative energy sources, low-energy systems and sustainable materials. We have advised our clients about the environment in relation to cost management and payback times. Because, in time, environmental building can generate financial benefits.
Our applied environmental measures include:
• heating tap water and rooms using solar energy
• heat wheels
• energy-saving ventilation systems
• heat accumulation by activating the building mass
• compact building
• using daylight
• water savings in taps and lavatories
• using rainwater to flush toilets
• open surfaces to allow rainwater infiltration
• using climate ceilings in combination with climate walls and natural ventilation
• heat and cold storage
• using PV cells
• environmentally friendly building materials like natural earth plaster (regulating humidity and improving air quality)
Greencalc
To build in sustainable ways, we have to calculate whether homes, schools, offices, shops health centres or neighbourhoods are sustainable. So for us, sustainable building starts at the design stage. Using the software ‘Greencalc’, we can compare the design of the building with an automatically generated reference building in terms of materials, energy, water and mobility. The result of the sustainability calculation is expressed in a single number, the environmental index, which reflects the quality of the building.
Energy label
Our climate is changing. Energy resources have proven finite and new forms of energy are becoming increasingly important. Society at large is becoming increasingly aware of these changes and will have to save energy.
People looking for homes want low-energy housing. That is why an energy label has been developed. As architects, we try to design homes and buildings with a green label. They place less of a burden on the environment. That is important for the environment, and for us too.
