De Gebroeders
Eindhoven

Bram van Ekeren, architect at diederendirixx:

”We had already worked with Platowood on previous projects and were very pleased with the results. Sustainability naturally plays a major role in our material choices. The origin, treatment, and long lifespan of the wood are crucial to us. Platowood was also able to deliver a weathered color in a custom shade. We wanted a lighter-toned pre-greying treatment than the standard. Details like these helped us realize the intended vision for the stepped inner world—its balconies and galleries included.”

Nature-inclusive design

The architecture of De Gebroeders complements the surrounding brick-built environment. At the same time, the original landscape and soil conditions served as the foundation for the design. The site lies in an old brook valley. In collaboration with Felixx Landscape Architects, an integrated, nature-inclusive plan was created. The green roofs, roof terraces, and gardens form part of an extensive system to manage delayed water infiltration. Insects, birds, and bats can nest in the green end façades.
“This becomes especially apparent on the inner sides of the residential blocks, which are shaped like stepped gardens. A natural, soft appearance was essential to us, which led to our choice of Platowood wooden cladding,” says architect Bram van Ekeren.

Custom edge profile

The façade detailing reflects the passion of all partners involved. Together, they ensured a well-protected wooden façade. Client Ten Brinke handled the engineering in-house, with diederendirrix acting as a sounding board. Maas Reusel supplied prefabricated racks, which were mounted by ZND Nedicom. For these racks, Platowood developed a custom edge profile in addition to the standard profile—a combination of Platonium 01 and Platonium 05. These were installed to the left and right of the window frames, resulting in a clean alignment between cladding and frames. Thanks to Platowood’s hydrothermal modification process, the wood barely shrinks or swells, ensuring that these clean lines remain intact in the future—without any need for paint.

The architect on the final result: “Our client, the end users, and we ourselves are all very satisfied. The vegetation still has to mature, but it’s already a pleasant place to be. De Gebroeders truly makes a statement!”