Native To Place

Nike European Headquarters,
Hilversum, The Netherlands

Nike has crafted one of the world’s most readily recognizable corporate identities through its emphasis on world-class athletic performance. William McDonough + Partners furthered Nike’s mission by bringing world-class innovation to the Nike European Headquarters.

Located within easy access to the train station and the city, the site was once a former harness track and Olympic training ground. The new campus continues the tradition of physical excellence through incorporation of a jogging track that bridges the entry doors, a central pond that becomes an ice rink in the winter and numerous athletic fields and courts. The campus’s quartet of office buildings with parking below and the commons building surround a large central public lawn which includes one of the largest rainwater collection systems in Europe.

The flexible, adaptable workplace, designed to convert to housing in the future, includes strong connections to the outdoors through daylighting, natural ventilation, and access to views. Employee health is further optimized through the use of low-VOC finishes in a virtually PVC-free environment. Renewable energy sources provide 30% of the total supply, due in large part to one of northern Europe’s largest geothermal heating and cooling systems. Designed and built on a schedule as rapid and ambitious as any European office complex of its size, the project offers a model of effective resource management, community connection, long-term flexibility, and aesthetic appeal while reflecting its tenants’ commitment to corporate social responsibility.