The Aluminum Forest

Shrewd entrepreneurs in construction know that their own corporate building can help them significantly in visibility and market positioning. In the Czech Republic, we have a shining example in Leopold Bareš, one of the owners of the company Sipral, whose headquarters were designed by Stanislav Fiala. From abroad, the master of "building marketing" is Vitra, led by Rolf Fehlbaum. This trend was thoroughly documented at the turn of the century in the Basque city of Bilbao, where one of the most expensive buildings on the planet was constructed - the Guggenheim Museum. Thanks to media coverage, the investment returns much faster than expected. This experience has given rise to the term "Bilbao effect" in professional circles.
Similarly targeted was the Dutch Association of Aluminum Producers and Processors. They conceptualized their physical showroom as a booth celebrating this building material. Architect Micha de Haas maximized the use of aluminum. The Aluminium Centre is also Haas's first realization. The building is situated on the shore of an artificial lake. A box with a square floor plan is elevated by 368 columns of oval cross-section 90-210 mm, rising to a height of 6 meters, either straight or slanted. The concept of this solution can be found in a traditional Dutch grove. Thin tree trunks grow both from the banks and the water, sunlight casts soft shadows on the gently swaying surface, and a breeze weaves between the trunks - in short, an impressive scene. Additionally, aluminum has the wonderful property of beautifully and softly reflecting light, allowing you to experience a wonderful atmosphere in the Houten aluminum grove. Inside the flying box clad in Alucobond, in addition to the showroom showcasing various uses of aluminum in practice, there are conference rooms, offices, and social facilities. Four atriums are carved into the mass, with the main task of sufficiently illuminating 1000 square meters of usable space. The building's uniqueness is also evidenced by its budget - just over 80 million crowns. Cheers to aluminum!