HERINRICHTING RIJKSMONUMENT

M+R interior architecture was commissioned by Next Nature to develop the concept and design for the entrance, lounge, restaurant, and meeting spaces of the Evoluon. The challenge for our studio was to create an appealing and circular design for this listed national monument, using 'limited' resources, while restoring the building to its original architectural clarity and eliminating previous visual clutter.

Our approach was to ensure that everything newly introduced into the building bears a distinct design signature. We made optimal use of the existing furnishings, giving them a "new skin" in a recognizable blue hue. By consistently applying this blue to all new and temporary interventions, we added an extra visual layer to the monument. This strategy allows the original architecture to remain clearly legible, while signaling that the interior is temporary and ephemeral.

The choice of blue was not made "out of the blue." As a primary color, it conveys purity and clarity, and is often associated with technology and the future. In art, blue plays a key role in atmospheric perspective. The color also connects to the branding of Next Nature, and refers to Philips, the founding force behind the Evoluon.

The concept for the public spaces centers around circularity — all elements are designed for optimal reuse. For the loose furnishings, we selected chairs and tables from renowned designers and artists based in Eindhoven and the Brabant region: Maarten Baas (101), Joep van Lieshout (Skull and AVL-chair), Piet Hein Eek (aluminum chair), and Michiel van der Kley (Chase G coat stand). For the terrace and lounge, M+R designed a custom modular sofa in the shape of an X. Each object is assigned a unique label and certificate by Next Nature and will be auctioned after its functional use at the Evoluon, ensuring it gets a second life. All pieces are executed in the distinctive blue tone, enhancing their uniqueness.

In the main entrance—the iconic dome of the Evoluon—the Chase G stands like Martians, evoking a "close encounter." Existing built-in elements throughout the interior are clad in environmentally friendly Oriented Strand Board (OSB), a material made from wood chips, combined with Marmoleum flooring and bar surfaces. Two original table lamps by Louis Kalff (the Evoluon’s architect) are now featured in the museum shop. It is our hope that Philips will reissue these iconic luminaires using sustainable LED technology and trendy new finishes.

The terrace was developed in collaboration with Vermaat, with all furniture consistently executed in blue, including the Loop Chair designed by Stefan Scholten. As a deliberate exception to the blue palette, the à la carte section of the restaurant is finished entirely in black. The wall covering in the lounge is a cosmic design by artist Sofie Crespo, depicting the canon of the universe and Earth. In the restaurant, wall art designed by M+R combines an image by Bryan Versteeg with archival visuals of the Evoluon.

All new lighting is designed as sleek black track systems with LED up- and downlighting. The uplights accentuate the beautiful concrete columns with wooden slats. The lighting is interactive and programmable, allowing it to adapt to various functional settings.