Radex Innovation Centre, Delft

The Delft entrepreneur Alfons Hülsenbeck took the initiative to set up an incubation center (for start-ups) for young graduate companies at TU Delft, in collaboration with the municipality of Delft. The municipality wanted to profile itself as a 'knowledge city' and wanted to link high-quality technology with high-quality employment, thus, RADEX was established. This endeavour was successful & the center was festively opened in 1992. The center received overwhelming numbers of applications from aspiring entrepreneurs, so much so that many had to be referred to a waiting list.

Having already done studies for expansion in 1996, we were commissioned in 1998 for the design of phase II. Although the project in its conception stages was somewhat delayed, construction started in 2002. Phase II was completed in July 2003.

By connecting with the first phase in materials, detailing and color scheme, a conscious effort was made for a uniform expression from the whole complex, i.e. one in which the different construction phases can only be recognised when "zooming in". The success of this method also led to later developments in the nearby area, such as the Delftech park and the 'Technopolis' being developed.

Phase III concerns the design of a large canteen space on the roof of Radex I.

Client:     Radex beheer BV

Design: I 1990 – 1991, II 1998 – 2000, III 2006

Construction: I 1991 – 1992, II 2002 – 2003, III not constructed

Contractor: D. Versloot / Heijmans IBC