For the footballers of tomorrow

For Feyenoord, we designed the training complex for the Feyenoord Academy and Sportclub Feyenoord. The completion of the building in 2020 marks the provisional conclusion of our ten-year collaboration with the professional club, during which we also designed Feyenoord 1908 for the first team.

Project
Feyenoord Academy & Sportclub Feyenoord

Location
Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Client
Feyenoord

Size
4,500 m2

Programme
Offices, classrooms, sports building, and hospitality

Status
Completed

Ten-year partnership with Feyenoord

From PSV to Vitesse and from Bayern Munich to Tottenham Hotspur: during that ten-year collaboration, we visited several national and international training complexes to investigate what requirements such a top sports environment must meet. We also spoke with coaches, players, and staff members to gain the best insights for both top sports environments.

A place to grow

Based on the research, we developed a vision on the influence of the daily rhythm, privacy, the difference between physical and mental zones, and the separation of processes in a high-performance sports environment.

Shared culture

For the Varkenoord complex, this means a layout that ensures both parts of the Feyenoord family (Feyenoord Academy and Sportclub Feyenoord) have their own facilities without losing the cooperation and shared culture.

Smart floor plan

The ground floor of the building houses the changing rooms, fitness area, and sports medical facilities. On the upper floor, you will find spaces focused on concentration and relaxation, such as offices, study and teaching rooms, a separate restaurant, and the players' lounge.

Two entities under one roof

Through intelligent positioning of functions, the Academy and the Sports Club have each been given their own space with a unique identity, while on match days and during other events, they also make use of each other's facilities. The two-storey building stretches entirely along the main field. The Sports Club's canteen, the shared business areas, and the Academy's offices overlook the fields and have direct access to the balcony and the stands.

Here is where you want to work and train

According to Raymond van Meenen, manager of the Feyenoord Academy, the building has everything they need to work and train at a top sports level: ‘The building gives energy to the players, the staff, and everyone who enters here. Everything radiates: this is where you want to work and train.’