Office with a sawtooth roof pays homage to a Dutch mill by Gerrit Rietveld
The jagged roof of this warehouse and office space in the Netherlands is designed to reference a 1950s weaving mill by Dutch architect and designer Gerrit Rietveld (+ slideshow).
![Office Building by B+O Architectuur](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/03/Office-Building-by-B-and-O-Architectuur_dezeen_468_0.jpg)
Dutch architect Arnoud Olie, who is the founder of Meppel-based studio B+O Architectuur en Interieur B.V, designed the Office Building in the city of Zwartsluis for industrial parts manufacturer ForTop Zwartsluis.
The brick and concrete building, which features a distinctive roof profile, also functions as a warehouse space and distribution centre.
![Office Building by B+O Architectuur](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/03/Office-Building-by-B-and-O-Architectuur_dezeen_468_1.jpg)
The serrated roof was inspired by Gerrit Rietveld's 1959 design for a weaving mill situated in the southern Netherlands town of Bergeijk. The mill by Rietveld, who was a member of Dutch abstract movement De Stijl, is made up from a series of conjoined pods that together create a curving sawtooth roofline.
![Weverij de Ploeg by Gerrit Rietveld](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/03/Weverij-de-Ploeg_Gerrit-Rietveld_dezeen_1.jpg)
"The building has many distinctive features and was carefully designed and detailed, making the building look nothing like a conventional office building," said the architects, who wanted to avoid the traditional "square box" buildings typically adopted by factories in the region.
![Office Building by B+O Architectuur](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/03/Office-Building-by-B-and-O-Architectuur_dezeen_468_2.jpg)
"It was inspired by the designs architect Gerrit Rietveld made for a factory named Weverij de Ploeg," they added. "The curved sawtooth roofs present in Weverij de Ploeg are reflected in Fortop, they give the building a unique character with minimal expenses."
![Office Building by B+O Architectuur](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/03/Office-Building-by-B-and-O-Architectuur_dezeen_468_6.jpg)
The north-facing straight elements of the roof face are glazed to allow light into penetrate the building, while the curving parts provide shade from direct sunlight.
![Office Building by B+O Architectuur](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/03/Office-Building-by-B-and-O-Architectuur_dezeen_468_8.jpg)
The building is faced in brown brick, while entrances are marked by large panels of glazing and a wooden garage door.
![Office Building by B+O Architectuur](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/03/Office-Building-by-B-and-O-Architectuur_dezeen_468_4.jpg)
"Mainly durable and robust materials are used in the design: the walls are of dark brick and concrete construction, with a maximum amount of the materials left raw," said the architects. "This gives the new home of Fortop a machine aesthetic."
![Office Building by B+O Architectuur](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/03/Office-Building-by-B-and-O-Architectuur_dezeen_468_3.jpg)
Numbers on the brick facade correspond to the company's different distribution centres, allowing delivery drivers to easily locate their cargo.
![Office Building by B+O Architectuur](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/03/Office-Building-by-B-and-O-Architectuur_dezeen_468_5.jpg)
A glass door opens into the central hall and staff canteen, which is separated from the warehouse by a glazed wall. An open office is situated on one side of the hall, while a door that leads to a storage space and workshop is located on the other. Three meeting rooms are located on the first floor.
![Office Building by B+O Architectuur](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/03/Office-Building-by-B-and-O-Architectuur_dezeen_468_7.jpg)
A second identical building, which will house other businesses, is planned for an adjacent plot.
Photography is by René de Wit .
Project credits:
Architect: Arnoud Olie
Client: ForTop Automation & energy control BV
Contracter: Bouwbedrijf Bovenhuis
Bricks: Daas Baksteen
Glass: Rollecate BV
![Office Building by B+O Architectuur](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/03/Office-Building-by-B-and-O-Architectuur_dezeen_1.gif)
![Office Building by B+O Architectuur](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/03/Office-Building-by-B-and-O-Architectuur_dezeen_2.gif)
![Office Building by B+O Architectuur](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/03/Office-Building-by-B-and-O-Architectuur_dezeen_3.gif)
![Office Building by B+O Architectuur](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/03/Office-Building-by-B-and-O-Architectuur_dezeen_4.gif)