Matt black solar panels for Adyen headquarters.

At the heart of Amsterdam, the vacant Hudson's Bay department store is being transformed into the new headquarters for the online payment platform, Adyen. The matte black solar panels, specially designed by Solarix, are part of the sustainability initiative for this monumental building.

Adyen is redeveloping the two newly available Rokin buildings and the historical Vleeshal behind them in collaboration with contractor Van Wijnen, interior design agency Tank, architecture firm Rijnboutt, project organization SGS, real estate manager CBRE, and technical service provider ENGIE.

Circular construction

The sustainable and circular vision of Adyen takes center stage in the redevelopment of this historical property, aligning well with Solarix's vision to accelerate the energy transition.

One of Adyen's primary objectives is to maximize the use of existing materials. According to site director Wesly Verhaert, Adyen is aiming for a "BREEAM certification ranging from Very Good to Excellent, a quality label for minimal environmental impact during both the construction and operational phases."

In addition to reusing materials, Adyen sought to generate energy with one of the three new office buildings. Roy Leegwater, project manager at ENGIE Services West, explains, "By installing solar panels and redesigning the restaurant kitchen, Rokin 49 and the Vleeshal will become gas-free buildings."

Considering the historical nature of the buildings, such as the old Vleeshal, conventional rooftop solar panels were not feasible. Therefore, Architect Rijnboutt and ENGIE opted for an aesthetic solution using Solarix's design solar panels.

Aesthetic Sustainability with Black Solar Panels

Adyen's sustainable and circular vision aligns perfectly with our own vision, but at Solarix, we add an aesthetic dimension to it. Together with architect Rijnboutt, the decision was made not to opt for 'conventional' black solar panels but rather a color that blends in with the existing roofing. For the Adyen headquarters, Solarix has specifically developed matte black energy-generating solar panels that match the color of the anthracite-gray roof tiles.

The aesthetic color requirement was not the only beautiful design challenge; we also worked on the panel dimensions. These had to correspond with the existing framework's dimensions. For this purpose, Solarix developed specific panel dimensions.

From a circularity and sustainability perspective, the old office buildings are optimally transformed into the Adyen headquarters, featuring Solarix's energy-generating solar panels that are not only effective but also add an extra design dimension to the old monumental building.

For more information, you can also refer to contractor Van Wijnen, interior design agency Tank, and real estate manager CBRE.