Project Of The Year Award 2025

One colour with four different guises: Zwolle-based HevoFame wins project of the year

The ‘Centrada Lelystad’ project was voted Project of the Year at the very well-attended Trespa | Archicomm event on 15 January at Castle De Vanenburg in Putten. Naomi Even from HevoFame was the architect. The pageant was organised for the third time and seems to be becoming a fixture in Dutch architect country.

First, an analysis of the winning project: when the facade cladding of Centrada's headquarters in Lelystad discoloured and started to come off after 25 years, a simple replacement was the obvious choice. However, a different direction was chosen: a substantial quality boost in which the building's appearance would better reflect the organisation's identity.

The choice was an envelope construction with Trespa Meteon® Lumen in combination with Uni Colours. There, the four Meteon panels were applied in one colour, but with different finishes. The result is a façade that reacts strongly to light: depending on time of day, season, weather and viewing direction, the plasticity of the building changes. In other words, we are talking about one colour with four different appearances.

Besides the architectural effect, functionality plays a major role. The Meteon panels are vandal-proof and low-maintenance, reducing Centrada's management burden in the years to come. The implementation, with Salverda Bouw and H&S Montage, was carefully organised, including the use of a shed opposite the office for preparatory work. Supplier Jongeneel managed to limit material losses to below 10% with a clever sawing plan. The combination of a distinct light play, practical robustness and smart cooperation in the chain proved a decisive reason for all the voters in the room to choose this project as the winner.

The team of the winning project was obviously fully satisfied. Flowers and the beautiful engraved plaque were presented by the Trespa team on stage.

The Best Of The Rest 

The second prize went to architect Rigobert Nivillac (of Studio Leon Thier / Wubben Chan architects) for the Koploper project in Gouda. Practically next to the NS railway station, the ‘impossible was made possible’. This was the design of a sustainable building with 156 social housing units and facilities, characterised by its the quirky identity of the Spoorzone area, which is in full development. Verdouw Bouwproducten was the project's supplier.

Imagine Rotterdam's project team - dancing towers with durable skin - was also able to return home with a broad smile afterwards. They won third prize. On the Laan op Zuid in Rotterdam, two imposing residential towers are connected by a solid plinth with owner-occupied and rented housing around a green inner garden. FLOW cladding and façade specialist Jongeneel were the contractors. Robertus de Bruin of Barcode Architects were responsible for the design.

Panel discussions

As in the previous two editions, Trespa had put together an extensive programme for visitors in cooperation with trade platform Archicomm. For instance, a beautiful documentary was presented around last year's 12 nominees. And, there were two interactive panel discussions on stage led by moderator Jerry Helmers.

In the first panel discussion, visitors were introduced to Tierra Outdoor, a manufacturer of garden furniture. And what was the surprise in this conversation? Practical durability! The garden furniture is made of Trespa sheets! Cas Broeren and Daan van Stiphout of Tierra Outdoor told how the cooperation with Trespa had come about. On behalf of Trespa, Fokke Vos and Tjeerd den Houter were on stage.

ChatGPT determines

The second panel discussion was an exciting one because... at the start of the interaction on stage, no one knew what the topic of the discussion would be. In fact, that was decided live by ChatGPT.

Moderator Jerry Helmers voiced a creative prompt on stage and AI made the choice. Four audience members who found a Trespa Sample under their seats were invited to participate in that panel discussion.

For instance, ChatGPT wanted to know the panelists‘ response to the question of whether sustainable building is mainly marketing and that ’the real profit“ is in - simply - building less. This produced a stimulating discussion. (”Building less is really not an option at all in today's times!“). The question of whether the architect has lost his social authority was also answered (”No!‘) and it also became clear that, in the meantime, the architect is no longer ’just“ counting but has become an increasing part of the whole chain. But above all: an architect must dare to choose more than ever. ”Otherwise you end up with mediocrity."

So good stimuli provided by ChatGPT that resulted in an unexpectedly hilarious - yet highly substantive - 25-minute interaction on stage.

Incidentally, all visitors were also introduced to the Dane Jorgen Hauritz, who started as Country Manager for the Netherlands and the UK last year. In doing so, Trespa has also brought in one chunk of experience and knowledge about the facade industry. According to Hauritz, who also made a short presentation and was interviewed on stage, architects in the Netherlands are among the world's best but... “we should not forget that in changing times we do have to keep working on our creativity.”

Celebrating collaborations and beautiful facades

Jim Wolters, Account Manager Facade at Trespa én organiser of the event, looks back on the third edition with great satisfaction. “It was very interactive. The audience was continuously involved in everything that happened on stage and there was also a lot of excitement during the networking moments during the breaks and at the buffet afterwards. So I really see the Trespa | Archicomm event as a great annual moment celebrating collaborations and beautiful facade works. The great thing about this edition was that the projects at the centre of our documentary also literally provided a lot of inspiration. Architects were looking for each other, wanting to learn from each other to also give themselves another boost and take a step forward.”

When Jim is asked if the event will be put on the agenda again in 2027, he laughs. “As far as I'm concerned, yes. The feeling is good, we receive positive feedback and we have also literally provided connection between people in the profession. As always, we evaluate after the event but I personally look forward to meeting again in this way - with lots of interaction - in January 2027.”

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