Omnia – WUR Dialogue Centre

NL – Wageningen, 2022 | Public Building

Floating pavilion in the green

There is a new pavilion on the Wageningen Campus: Omnia, Centre for Dialogue. Omnia means ” all embracing”, and the name says it all: Omnia is the heart of Wageningen University & Research (WUR), a place for dialogue between scientists and society experts in the fields of nutrition, health, biodiversity, circular economy and climate. The open and transparent building is the link between WUR and society.

Broekbakema architect Van Eck explains his design: “We designed a strong floor and ceiling between which we clamped three wooden pavilions: a promotion room, a large hall for symposia and a restaurant.” The foyer provides the interconnection of the pavilions and with nature outside. Thanks to the glass facades, you feel the connection with nature in all places in the building. The round and flowing shapes of the wooden pavilions create a warm and natural atmosphere. Natural and sustainable materials make Omnia a healthy building, it is virtually energy neutral.

When the final design was almost ready, CBRE was commissioned to design the interiors. Ayca Dogan, senior interior designer at design studio CBRE Netherlands: “We were inspired by WUR’s motto, in which nature plays a key role – explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life. We expressed this by choosing the four seasons that define the natural cycle. We complemented this with the human senses and chose the materials, colours, furniture and atmosphere accordingly.”
The seven side rooms can be used in different configurations. Since the RAIL table system is variable, the tables can be set up individually, as working islands, in a U-shape or as a ring.

Architect:Erik van Eck, Broekbakema
Interior Design:CBRE
Photography:Petra Appelhof

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