Le Mirage appeals to the imagination thanks to a stunning new entrance
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Life in the brewery
Esther van Dort saw potential in the building when she began working as an investment manager on behalf of APF for the Le Mirage office building in Utrecht. “There were opportunities to attract more tenants and add value, but we had to heavily invest in appearance and quality. Upgrading the central entrance and making the building more sustainable were our top priorities. CBRE turned out to be the right partner for this”.A full wish-list of improvements
Look up from the entrance to Le Mirage and you will see 22 floors with plenty of steel, glass and concrete. The reception area looked similar to that too and came across as somewhat impersonal. “We basically knew what could be done better”, reflected Esther. ‘The restaurant deserved a more prominent spot outdoor space was underutilised and the reception had to exude more energy and be more hospitable”. APF’s plan was to make the ground floor a place where tenants would like to congregate, stay longer and invited interaction.There were opportunities to attract more tenants and generate higher rental income, but first we had to invest heavily in image and quality. An upgrade of the central hall and making the building more sustainable had top priority. CBRE turned out to be the right partner for this.
A design concept full of wonder and surprise
CBRE took inspiration from the name of the building and came up with a new vision for the entrance. That offered up many interesting leads – Le Mirage is French for a fata morgana. The designers thought about the concepts of movement, amazement and colour, elements of which did not shine through in the original interior. They opted for round shapes, striking contrasts and interior elements that reinforced the theme.
Detailed drawings lead to a flying start
The pitch phase clearly showed that the project had to be executed as smoothly as possible. After all, a building that is partially under construction is a lot more difficult to lease. CBRE put a lot of time and energy into the visual concept and the atmospheric impressions. “The pitch presentation immediately captured the imagination”, Esther noted. “The proposal was very concrete, right down to the proposed colour palette. That enabled us to assess immediately whether this idea matched our objectives and would contribute to the creation of a high-profile office building. With CBRE’s guidance, we then came up with detailed 3D designs during several co-creation workshops.”
The pitch presentation immediately captured the imagination. CBRE's design proposal was very concrete, right down to the color palette. This enabled us to immediately assess whether this idea suited us and would contribute to the creation of a high-profile office building.
Sustainability at the core of this beautiful building
The ground floor redevelopment presented a great opportunity to add several sustainable elements to the building, which is why APF wanted to aim for a BREEAM Sustainability certification. ‘CBRE’s sustainability experts performed a quick scan and were clear that there were further adjustments that could be made in the building. That was fortunately not a huge ask, as we already had an A label. We invested in more greenery, added water-saving innovations and installed bat boxes and bird houses, among other things. We achieved a BREEAM Very Good certificate, which sets us apart from other offices in the area.CBRE's sustainability experts made it clear through a quick scan what we still needed to adjust to the building. The result? A BREEAM Very Good certificate. This sets us apart from other offices in the area.
Le Mirage amazes again
Esther is very pleased with the result. “CBRE had great success in creating the desired atmosphere. The colourful design with unique shapes and delightful interior choices gave the entrance a unique appearance that is inviting, open and character filled. It feels very now, has become a whole an everything has a very high-end vibe”. It’s also important that the tenants and candidates also find the building wonderful. Le Mirage has been restored to its former glory – it’s not only a mirage, but a beautiful place that exists in actuality. Feel free to come and see it for yourself!”.
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