An innovative, open building designed to foster a collaborative culture: Unilever Foods Innovation Centre is a research institute for sustainable nutrition. Designed by Paul de Ruiter Architects and Fokkema & Partners Architecten in Wageningen, the Netherlands, the facility was conceived to generate new connections between the company's nutritionists, researchers and students from Wageningen University & Research (WUR), local start-ups and other institutions involved in the world of nutrition.

Comprising offices, workshops and kitchens, the building's layout is open and welcoming. At the centre of the structure is a bright, six-metre high lobby, visually connected to the different areas of the multifunctional hub by large windows.

Glass is therefore an important material for the success of the project. For this reason, the architects turned to AGC, Europe's leading manufacturer of flat glass.

Stratobel laminated safety glass and Stratophone laminated acoustic glass were used for the building. In addition to maximum transparency, Stratophone provides protection against the risk of accidents, falls, break-ins and vandalism. Layers of PVB are applied between the glass sheets, which allows the functional and safety characteristics of the glass to be modified to suit various requirements.

Stratophone guarantees an excellent level of sound insulation and at the same time the safety levels of Stratobel. Its secret is an acoustic PVB layer that acts as a noise barrier, separating, for example, a quiet room in a building from a busy and chaotic external environment. Depending on the thickness of the glass and the PVB interlayers used, this fully transparent glass can be used in different contexts, both outdoors and indoors.

Once again, AGC proves to be an excellent partner for the best architectural projects in Europe (and beyond). The company's cutting-edge solutions are ideal for the innovative project, which pays great attention to sustainability: Unilever Foods Innovation Centre has in fact received BREEAM-NL Outstanding certification, which guarantees its excellence in the field of energy efficiency.