Powerhouse Company transforms Bunker Tower, the loved brutalist icon

Originally built in the 1970s, and located in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, Hugh Maaskant's brutalist icon was the beating heart of student life in the city. Nicknamed 'The Bunker', owing to its brutalist architecture, the concrete architecture fell into a state of deterioration in recent years and even came close to demolition. It narrowly escaped this calamitous fate when the Technical University of Eindhoven organised a competition to decide its future.

As part of the competition, Rotterdam-based Powerhouse Company, co-founded by Nanne de Ru, introduced a new stepped, residential architecture to join hands with the existing structure. The 100m tall tower mirrors the original asymmetrical bunker by becoming narrower as it ascends. While the tower itself tapers off, the glass and wood architecture details become larger. The shape of the tower intuitively pulls one's vision towards the base, where the existing bunker sits. Renovated as a part of the project, the 3,000 square metre space is retrofitted to house an office as well as a semi-public café.

The restoration project, though originally conceptualised to save the bunker, took on a larger role of introducing green pockets in the inner-city area and addressing major housing challenges at the same time. Since the extension provides underground parking, it allowed for the city to convert an existing parking ground into a public park.

Despite renovations and colossal addition to the original tower architecture, the soul of the original bunker stays intact. The thoughtful research that underpins the entire transformation is evident in the aesthetic and functional choices made throughout the project.

In conversation with STIR, Meagan Kerr of Powerhouse Company, the lead architect of the project, talks about the winning proposal, revival of the landmark architecture, collaboration, and the radicality behind restoration architecture. 

Pooja Suresh Hollannavar: Could you tell us a little bit about the brief of the competition and how you went about meeting the said brief?

Meagan Kerr: The competition was organised by the Technical University of Eindhoven. They were the owners of the former student centre. The brief was to revitalise the Bunker and breathe new life into it, all while respecting its cultural heritage. 

Pooja: The project seems like a collaborative effort between Powerhouse Company, Van Wijnen contractors, RED Company, Being Development, and DELVA Landscape Architecture & Urbanism. Please tell us a little bit about what the design process entailed. 

Meagen: During the competition, Powerhouse worked closely with RED and Being. It is through such a collaborative process that we were able to make a cohesive and stunning design as well as make a sound proposal and bid. DELVA proposed a public park that surrounds the Bunker and also the greening of roofs and balconies. Once Van Wijnen joined the process, we were able to realise such an ambitious project in just a few years. 

Pooja: The original Hugh Maaskant’s Bunker was not just a loved centre of Eindhoven student life, it is also an iconic piece of architecture. Was there any apprehension around how you were going to handle this revival?

Meagan: Yes, from the start we were very much impressed with the design of Hugh Maaskant and wanted to make a tower in the spirit of Maaskant. After we won the competition, we worked closely together with the architectural faculty of the university and professor Colenbrander on how to design the tower as a natural continuation of the bunker design.

Pooja: You have described the Bunker Tower project as 'Radical yet Respectful.' Could you elaborate a bit on what you mean by that?

Meagan: It was entirely radical that we made a 100m high tower in the middle of the bunker, respectful because the tower design is an adaptation and elaboration of the bunker. The design pays homage to the Bunker’s material palette as it was chosen to harmonise with the existing building. Van Wijnen further restored the old Bunker's original concrete to get it to match the extension exactly.

Project Details

Name: Bunker Tower
Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands
Architect: Powerhouse Company
Year of completion: 2023
Developers: RED Company, Being Development
Construction: Van Wijnen
Landscape architect: DELVA Landscape Architecture & Urbanism
Project management: DVP
Installation advisor: Deerns
Construction engineer: IMd Raadgevend Ingenieurs
Building physics: Deerns
Advisor urban planning: RHO Adviseurs