With ONO – Open Natural Office as well as Our New Office – we set a new benchmark for office design: Paris-Proof 2050, energy-neutral, HVAC-free, affordable, biobased, and designed for a naturally comfortable indoor climate.
On our road to Paris-Proof design, we realized something fundamental: the more we relied on technology to achieve sustainability, the more complex and expensive our buildings became. What looks efficient on paper often leads to higher costs, increasing dependence on installations, and long-term energy and maintenance burdens.
With ONO, we take a different direction. Together with Synchroon, we initiated a shift: designing an office without mechanical installations, driven by nature instead of systems. As designers, users, and co-developers, we use this project to push our own ambitions forward – not as an experiment, but as a new reality.
Less is Real
By leaving out mechanical installations, we free up space – both physically and financially – to invest in architecture itself, in the quality of the building. Higher ceilings, natural ventilation, and biobased materials form the foundation, using passive design principles to create a healthy, comfortable, and affordable workplace. No add-ons, just better design.
We reduce not only construction costs, but also long-term maintenance and energy use. Instead of adding hardware, we rely on eco-intelligence: advanced simulations proofed we can replace air conditioning, while smart monitoring ensures comfort in use.
Less technology, more architecture – and better performance as a result.
How ONO works
ONO operates without mechanical climate systems. Instead, advanced technology allows natural principles to take the lead. A combination of a solid timber structure, clay blocks, and generous floor heights with operable windows creates a stable indoor climate, guided by smart software.
Calculated and accredited by 2226 GmbH, the result is a consistent temperature between 21-26°C, with an extremely low energy demand of less than 2 kWh/m² per year. Where conventional offices consume around 400 kWh/m² – and even the top 20% still use about 90 – ONO dramatically reduces energy use. Less strain on the grid, no need for a transformer, and a fundamentally different approach to performance.
INSPIRATION
ONO is constructed entirely from biobased materials: a CLT timber structure, hemp-lime insulation, clay plaster interiors, and a pink lime-rendered façade. This results in an embodied carbon footprint of just 50 kg CO₂/m². This approach reduces embodied carbon to Paris-Proof levels decades ahead of schedule.
For developers and investors, ONO offers a compelling financial model: lower service costs, minimal technical replacement cycles, and strong resilience against tightening regulations. With no dependency on complex installations, the building maintains its value and performance over 50–70 years.
A vibrant community hub
We love Noord. It’s a district where living, working, and culture collide – within minutes of Central Station and known for icons like EYE and ADAM Tower, and the raw energy of NDSM. This is where Amsterdam experiments, creates, and grows.
The district of Buiksloterham – embodying the shift from industry to innovation – is where ONO takes its position. ONO is part of this transition, offering affordable workspace to a new generation of creatives.
But we don’t just settle here; we contribute. By opening our ground floor to the public with space for exhibitions, talks, lunch and everyday encounters, we actively shape the neighbourhood we believe in.
PROJECT DATA
Program:
Low-Tech office building
4.590 m2 GFA
In collaboration with:
Synchroon, Aveco de Bondt,
Solid Timber, Vigo
Status:
In development
Team:
Jamie Bakkes, John Bosch,
Oresti Sarafopoulos, Sam Scholting,
Maarten Verhelst, Marilene de Wit
Artist impressions:
WAX
Urban design:
Studioninedots, DELVA
PODCASTS
In these interviews, Oresti Sarafopoulos talks about the design of ONO in greater depth: an innovative, installation-free and bio-based office building.
– Language: Dutch –
