Bunker Tower by Power Company - Photo by Sebastian van Damme, courtesy of Powerhouse Company.

Bunker Tower by Power Company – All photos by Sebastian van Damme, courtesy of Powerhouse Company.

Architecture -“Combining old and new, we created a unified, layered design, celebrating and restoring the building’s original glamor.” Powerhouse Company told Archipanic. The meticulously restored horizontal structure has been transformed by adding a new 100-meter-high residential tower.

Bunker Tower by Power Company - Photo by Sebastian van Damme, courtesy of Powerhouse Company.

The natural stone high-rise architecture echoes the asymmetrical original Bunker building with a stepped design holding 210 apartments on its 32 floors. “The building reveals so many sides, different vignettes, depending on where you are in the city,” said Powerhouse Company project architect Meagan Kerr. “And every apartment has different views, despite the repeating floorplan.”

Bunker Tower by Power Company - Photo by Sebastian van Damme, courtesy of Powerhouse Company.

Originally designed by Dutch architect Hugh Maskaant in 1969, the original Bunker building is a Brutalist classic: a horizontal concrete composition of bold lines, rugged materials, and massive volumes. In recent years, however, it had fallen into disrepair and only narrowly escaped demolition.

Bunker Tower by Power Company - Photo by Sebastian van Damme, courtesy of Powerhouse Company.

“Before the ambitious adaptation, the original and much-loved Bunker was long the center of student life in the city. Now preserved for the future, it gains an unexpected new lease of life thanks to the striking Bunker Tower and the beautiful surrounding park, additions which effectively energize the entire area.”

Bunker Tower by Power Company - Photo by Sebastian van Damme, courtesy of Powerhouse Company.

Indeed, the visual language of the Bunker Tower continues seamlessly into the park by DELVA Landscape Architecture & Urbanism, as visible in the design of the benches and bicycle parking spaces. “This area of Eindhoven has been seen as the wrong side of the train tracks. Our design helps to change that by bringing new energy to the whole area.”

Bunker Tower by Power Company - Photo by Sebastian van Damme, courtesy of Powerhouse Company.

“Rather than resorting to traditional solutions of designing ‘around’ monuments – with either a strict separation or a strong contrast between old and new – Powerhouse has made the new tower a bold and imaginative continuation of Maaskant’s architectural style.” Powerhouse Company created their “friendly giant” in collaboration with developers RED Company and Being Development.

Bunker Tower by Power Company - Photo by Sebastian van Damme, courtesy of Powerhouse Company.

All photos by Sebastian van Damme – Courtesy of Powerhouse Company.

Bunker Tower by Power Company - Photo by Sebastian van Damme, courtesy of Powerhouse Company.