Schakelstation Beverwijk
Industrial Heritage of the Future
Long defined by large-scale commerce and technical infrastructure, the area around the Bazaar in Beverwijk is set to develop into a lively new neighborhood. To support the area’s growing electricity demand, TenneT commissioned us to design a new 150 kV switchstation beside the Bazaar.
Our design approaches the building as industrial heritage of the future: essential energy infrastructure with a strong architectural presence that responds to its evolving urban context. Integrated into the brick facade is Powerwall by Studio RAP, one of the world’s largest robotically 3D-printed ceramic artworks.
Power infrastructure with a public side
Power infrastructure with a public side
The wider redevelopment of the Bazaar area will introduce housing, workspaces, public space, and a renewed connection to the waterfront. As the switchstation will become part of this future neighborhood, we designed every element to soften its technical character, break down its scale, and create a more engaging and approachable presence for people passing by.
We organized the building into two complementary volumes: a taller brick volume containing the primary electrical installation and a lower metal volume housing the secondary functions. Deep brick piers give the facade rhythm and depth, while sculptural metal lamellas wrap the lower volume, visually connecting both parts into one coherent composition. Their gently undulating form casts playful patterns of shadow across the facade.
Together with Studio RAP’s ceramic artwork, these elements transform the switchstation into a distinctive architectural presence within the emerging neighborhood.
‘With Powerwall, we wanted the artwork to reveal something that would otherwise remain invisible. The electromagnetic fields informed the movement and depth of the ceramic relief, giving the building’s technical purpose a tangible presence on the facade.’
From electromagnetic fields to ceramic relief
From electromagnetic fields to ceramic relief
Set into the brick facade, Studio RAP’s Powerwall offers both a figurative and artistic expression of the switchstation’s purpose. Drawing on the invisible electromagnetic forces at work inside the building, the artwork translates their movement into a flowing relief that gives the facade a captivating presence. Its scale and vivid appearance catch the eye of passersby from afar, while its intricate details reveal themselves on closer inspection.
Developed using computational design, Powerwall is composed of 322 unique 3D-printed tiles that together form an 8-by-5-meter ceramic relief. It is one of the world’s largest robotically 3D-printed ceramic artworks. Each tile was produced in Studio RAP’s workshop using in-house robotic clay printing, resulting in subtle variations in form, texture, and depth. After firing, the tiles were finished with a translucent turquoise glaze that settles into the grooves and recessed areas, enhancing the relief as light shifts across its surface.
From computation to clay
Permeability and presence
Permeability and presence
The switchstation’s more permeable elements help balance its technical demands with a lighter architectural expression. Around the secondary functions, metal lamellas provide enclosure and security while allowing light and shadow to animate the facade throughout the day. This layered treatment softens the switchstation’s industrial character without obscuring its purpose.
Utility buildings are often treated as if they exist outside everyday life. In reality, people live beside them, pass them every day, and experience them as part of the city. That understanding became the foundation of our design approach.’
Infrastructure built to belong
Infrastructure built to belong
As the energy transition moves forward, transformer stations and switchstations are becoming an integral part of the urban environment. They are not public buildings, but they do have a public presence. When these buildings are part of people’s daily lives, their design calls for a more considered architectural approach.
With Switchstation Beverwijk, Powerhouse Company and Studio RAP show that essential infrastructure can remain secure and highly functional, while being a thoughtful addition to its surroundings. The result is a recognizable presence in Beverwijk – designed not only for today’s infrastructure, but also for tomorrow’s neighborhood.
A reliable electricity grid depends on infrastructure like this. In Beverwijk, the aim was to meet all operational requirements while giving the switchstation an appealing, considered presence.’
