In cities around the world, transit centers co-exist alongside commercial towers built to serve thousands of workers and commuters each day, most of whom pay little attention to the elements that make these environments unique.
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
For a new mixed-use hub completed by Shift architecture urbanism and Powerhouse Company, a nearby railway station served as the inspiration for a project that has transformed the neighborhood by strengthening the ties between its people and places.
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
“Buildings often become places where individuals remain isolated in their own bubbles. The design of 5TRACKS counters this by fostering social interaction through thoughtfully integrated shared spaces, allowing communities to thrive,” says Thijs van Bijsterveldt, co-founder, Shift architecture urbanism.
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
Located in Breda, Netherlands, a once-neglected site near Central Station now features housing, offices, and a hotel. Three triangular volumes, dubbed Platforms A, B, and C in a nod to commuters, are united by layered brick facades which echo the urban landscape.
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
A total of 168 apartments sit above a key area in the complex. Office spaces are centered around atriums, each with a full-sized tree, skylights, and glass fronts that open toward the shared courtyard. These sections double as what the teams call “urban living rooms” because they encourage interaction outdoors.
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
Interiors by Dutch Invertuals include pops of bright purple and green contrast with glazed surfaces and plush fabrics. Carpet motifs reference country meadows, while blue cloud-print curtains at the seating tiers lend an ethereal touch. Streetlight-style lamps provide illumination, and tables capture the look of steel tracks.
Photo: Pim Top
Photo: Pim Top
The architects emphasized sustainability and well-being inside and out, aligned with Paris Proof standards, and WELL Platinum certified. A garden supports biodiversity throughout each of the platforms, and a retention roof captures more than 100,000 gallons of rainwater. Solar panels generate renewable electricity for shared facilities.
Photo: Ronald Smits
Photo: Ronald Smits
It’s a forward-thinking approach that offers the ultimate in adaptability for all current users and those who will visit years from now. “The open structure and strategically positioned cores make it possible to accommodate office layouts of very different sizes. This spatial freedom allows 5TRACKS to respond to changing space requirements in the future,” adds Stefan Prins, partner and architect at Powerhouse Company.
Photo: Pim Top
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
Photo: Pim Top
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
Photo: Pim Top
Photo: Pim Top
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
Photo: Pim Top
Photo: Ronald Smits
Photo: Pim Top
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
Photo: Pim Top
Photo: Ronald Smits
Photo: Pim Top
Photo: Pim Top
Photo: Pim Top
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
To lear more about the creative collaborators involved, visit shift-au.com, powerhouse-company.com, and dutchinvertuals.nl, respectively.
Photography courtesy those noted in caption.
