Mulders vandenBerk Architecten

CASA PORTABELLA . Berghem

Mulders vandenBerk Architecten . photos: © Stijn Poelstra . © Roel Backaert . + archdaily

The ‘Paddenstoelenhuis’ is an information centre where you can learn all about mushrooms.

From here guided tours are organized to the mushroom plantation. The building is nicely located in the countryside and can be rented as location for meetings and culinary workshops.
The building is designed around a multifunctional hall. Entrance, Office, Kitchen and meeting room are attached to central hall.
The rectangular shape of the building fits well within the rhythm of agricultural buildings in the vicinity and takes away the sight toward the technical part of the mushroom plantation next to it.
The color of the facade is designed to blend in with the other light grey buildings on the plot. Together with brick producer MBI a brick was developed of light grey concrete with Norwegian marble granules. This square brick was handcut in half under an angle and processed in the façade with almost invisible joints. This results in a very rough and tactile façade with uplighting strips of marble glitters interspersed with wavy shadows. A contrast with the rough façade is made with polished terrazzo elements of the same concrete composition. The elements are connected around the building and its Iroko wooden window frames. The same Iroko wood is used for the carpentry of the interior.