design public spaces in the national monument Evoluon by M+R interior architecture
The Evoluon opened its doors on September 24, 1966 . It was a gift from Philips to the city for their 75th anniversary. The Evoluon quickly became known worldwide for its unique shape and because it makes science and technology accessible and understandable to everyone. In 1989, the Evoluon was closed by Philips, after which it mainly functioned as a conference center. On Saturday, September 24, 2022, the Evoluon will be open again as a museum with the first exhibition 'Retro Future' by Next Nature Network.
M+R interior architecture was asked by Next nature to develop the concept and design for the entrance, lounge, restaurant and meeting rooms. For our agency, the challenge was how we could create an attractive and circular design for this national monument with 'limited' resources, allowing us to regain the building in its original form and eliminate the 'clutter'. Our approach is that we have given everything we now bring into the building a clear signature, making maximum use of the existing furnishings and providing it with a 'new skin' in the recognizable color blue.
By consistently carrying out everything that is new and temporary in this color blue, we have added an extra layer to the monumental building, so that the original appearance remains very legible, the interior is temporary and ephemeral. The color blue is not determined 'out of the blue', it is a primary color that stands for pure and pure and is often associated with technology and the future. In painting, blue plays a major role in the atmospheric perspective. The color blue is also reflected in the branding of Next Nature and it is the color of the initiator of the Evoluon: Philips.
The idea for the design of public spaces is that everything is circular and can be optimally reused. For the loose furnishings we opted for chairs and tables from Eindhoven (Brabant) Designers and Artists: Maarten Baas (101); Joep van Lieshout (Skull and AVL chair); Piet Hein Eek (aluminum chair); Michiel van der Kley (Chase G coat rack) and for the terrace and lounge, M+R has designed a special modular sofa in the shape of an code and certificate from Next nature so that they get a second life after their position at Evoluon. All the furniture is in a special blue color, which makes them even more unique.
In the main entrance, the dome of the Evoluon, the Chase G are positioned like Martians, a close encounter... The covering (skin) of the existing objects in the Evoluon is made of environmentally friendly ' Oriented Strand Board' , or OSB sheet material made of wood chips in combination with marmoleum for the floor finish and top of the bars, etc. Two table lamps, designed by Louis Kalff (architect of the Evoluon), are part of the museum shop, with the wish of our agency that Philips put these fixtures back into production will use sustainable LED technology, but in trendy colours. The terrace design in collaboration with Vermaat, where the furniture is also consistently made in the color blue, including the Loop chair design by Stefan Scholten. As an exception to the blue color scheme, we have designed the a la carte part of the restaurant entirely in black. The wall covering in the lounge is a design by artist Sofie Crespo, the canon of the universe and the earth. And a wall wallpaper in the restaurant design by M+R where an image of Bryan Versteeg is combined with images of the Evoluon. The new lighting features sleek black tracks with LED up- and downlighting.
The uplighting illuminates the beautiful concrete columns with wooden slats.
The lighting is interactive and can be activated in different settings depending on the function.
