Villa Hoboken

Design statement
Villa Hoboken dates from 1910 and originally
accommodated the distillery of the firm Hoboken. The
building has 3 stories and an extensive basement. Villa
Hoboken has a representative, ornamented façade towards
the river Maas and a functional, neutral façade towards
the space that is now used as a schoolyard. The structural
frame consists of a grid of steel columns at 4.40 by 4.06
meter centres and load bearing brick facades.
In 1986 the building was converted into a new community
centre at ground level, with domestic units above on the first
and second floors. Several façade elements at ground floor
were also changed in response to the requirements of the
community centre.
Later in 2005/2006, the first floor was converted into office
space, with 2 independent units, 1 at each side of the
staircase. In each unit the workspaces sit around a spacious
lobby. The structural grid was used as the basis for the new
layout. Large, folding glass doors separate the workspaces
from the lobby. Services are carefully hidden. The offices
have a continuous oak floor. The entrance hall at ground
floor level have a new stone floor finish and timber panelling.
Minor interventions into the façades were also carried out
as part of the conversion: 2 balconies, added in 1986,
were removed and the entrance doors were altered. These
interventions make reference back to the distillery’s original
appearance.
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