Menzis office, Groningen

With its high, angular structure, the Menzis office is a distinctive landmark on Groningen’s south-western periphery. Three identical prismatic volumes, each four storeys high, are rotated at 90 degrees to one another, so the building seems to lean. The lowest volume accommodates the public functions; the two upper volumes primarily contain office spaces. The atriums, stacked in a spiral-like fashion, interconnect the various floors and are an expression of the corporate values of Menzis: transparent and communicative. Moreover, in their formal variety the atriums offer some surprising interior perspectives. The building is a successful combination of a distinctive exterior and a varied and exciting interior.