De Botermijn: space for the swarm
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overview
For a creative marketing agency in Maastricht, we designed their new home within the former freight warehouse De Botermijn. This characterful industrial space brings together a variety of functions: a creative workspace, presentation areas, a restaurant, and a gym.
UNSCRIPTED won the pitch by translating the swarm philosophy of the marketing agency into a tangible and spatial experience. A swarm is flexible and agile: because each bird communicates with five others, it can constantly adapt while forming striking and complex patterns. These same short lines of communication and interconnectedness within the team foster strong creative ideas and innovative strategies.
Like the shape of a swarm, the creative process is non-linear. It can move in any direction and does not follow a fixed sequence.
We designed a workspace that gives room to the swarm — allowing it to move freely.
This concept is expressed throughout the design. In places where the team comes together — such as brainstorming rooms, meeting spaces, photography studios, and informal gathering areas — the swarm appears to descend from the ceiling and transform into functional objects. In this way, the agency’s vision and way of working become physically embedded in the space.
In addition, we designed a distinctive ‘pit’: a space where presentations are experienced in a different way. Inspired by the classical agora, it is a place for sharing ideas, hosting theatre and music performances, delivering lectures, and recording podcasts. At the same time, the space can function independently as a venue for drinks, events, or external hire.
ruimte voor de zwerm
The swarm philosophy is also translated into form and material in the restaurant, but in a warmer and more intimate way. The bottle feature above the bar is made from original bottles that were once stored in the freight warehouse. In doing so, the interior not only tells the story of the brand, but also that of the building itself.
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