GGD Gelderland-Zuid

The Municipal Health Service (GGD) Gelderland-Zuid helps residents of all ages to make healthy choices and to prevent complaints and diseases. All this is done from a Nearly Energy Neutral Building, designed by De Twee Snoeken Architecture and circularly furnished by Ahrend. To further achieve the sustainability ambition, Ahrend's Circular Hub gave the GGD furniture used a second life. 'Ahrend is known as a professional party and it is. She has proven that throughout the process.'

Nearly energy-neutral building

The former GGD accommodation in Nijmegen was very outdated. The opportunity to build a new building on the site opposite the Gelderland-Zuid Safety Region, an important cooperation partner of the GGD, was seized with both hands.
The function and environment determined the design and the delicate atmosphere of the new GGD building. Visitors arrive in a green surrounded outdoor area and through patios filled with trees and plants they arrive in the reception hall. Greenery and sustainability play an important role: the building is Almost Energy Neutral (BENG). The sustainability requirement also played a role in the design.

Royal Ahrend healthcare project interior view of GGD Gelderland Zuid in Nijmegen 08

Circular and sustainable

Cees-Jan van Gendt, account manager at Ahrend: 'When choosing new furniture, design, materialisation, colour scheme and ergonomics were important, but also: sustainability is a must.'
All Ahrend furniture is designed in a circular way and produced in such a way that the parts can be reused. 'The same principle applies to used furniture. The GGD wanted their old furniture to be put to good use. Through our Circular Hub, desks and chairs, possibly after repair and cleaning, can be reused elsewhere or reused in parts.'

‘Ahrend is a forerunner in the field of sustainability’

Henk Romeijn Project Manager Setup and Relocation at Veiligheidsregio Gelderland-Zuid

Royal Ahrend healthcare project interior view of GGD Gelderland Zuid in Nijmegen 11

Offices and treatment rooms

What is special about this assignment are the different spaces with various functions. 'In addition to an office function, this building also has a public and medical function. On the ground floor there are consultation and treatment rooms for Youth Health Care and General Health Care. Here, for example, we have used DOC workstations and high changing tables. The first floor is intended for meeting, as are the living rooms on the three floors above. These meeting rooms, meeting places, living rooms and a lunch-work café are furnished with Creafort oak tables and recycled Planq chairs and Artifort sofas and armchairs.

Various services

For the offices, the GGD chose Ahrend Balance solo and duo desks with ZINN office chairs. To make the working environment acoustically optimal, acoustic sliding door cabinets and S25 panels were used.
In addition to products, Ahrend also provided various services: from reusing used furniture to deploying a project team and from neat cabling to ergonomic seating instructions. 'I think it's very special that we as Ahrend have been able and allowed to furnish all the different functions with suitable furniture with our circular range.'

Royal Ahrend healthcare project interior view of GGD Gelderland Zuid in Nijmegen 02

Royal Ahrend healthcare project interior view of GGD Gelderland Zuid in Nijmegen 09

GGD Gelderland-Zuid about Ahrend

'In this assignment, interior design, prescribed furniture, materialization and color scheme were leading. In addition, sustainability is an important pillar for this assignment: the building is Almost Energy Neutral. We wanted to extend this high sustainability standard to furniture. We know that Ahrend is a forerunner in this, but we were also happy to see proof of this. Ahrend provided this, for example because all the new furniture is designed and produced by C2C. In addition, with the Circular Hub, they prove that used furniture can be given a second or third life in its entirety or in parts.
Ahrend is known as a professional party and it is. Ahrend has proven this throughout the entire process, with good project management, a proactive and flexible attitude and quick solutions. All this has contributed to a pleasant, calm and good working environment, where our customers can feel vulnerable and the chain partners welcome themselves.'
Henk Romeijn | Project Manager Interior and Relocation at Veiligheidsregio Gelderland-Zuid

Photography: Stijn Poelstra