Ginkgo
Ginkgo is a new student housing complex in Utrecht, for which Studio RAP designs a public passage of three monumental ceramic columns. The design draws on the historic Ginkgo tree in Utrecht's Botanical Garden, believed to be the first of its kind planted in Europe centuries ago.
The passage
Three monumental columns bring the soul of the building to life. The form unfolds in an elegant, leaf-inspired geometry that gracefully ascends to embrace the ceiling, turning an everyday route through the building into a moment of pause.
Ceramic Column
Hundreds of unique 3D-printed tiles come together in an immersive pattern, finished in a warm golden transparent glaze. The tactile surface catches the light differently at every hour of the day, adding a moment of genuine joy and wonder to everyday life.
From sketch to fired tile
By controlling the entire process — from the first sketch to the final fired tile — Studio RAP provides absolute certainty on budget and timeline from the initial concept onwards.
About Studio RAP
Studio RAP is a Rotterdam-based team of architects that combines architecture with in-house manufacturing and craftsmanship, bringing bespoke detail back into architectural design. Ginkgo is one expression of that approach.
Location: Utrecht (NL)
Client: SSH
Ceramic Design & Fabrication: Studio RAP
Architect building: Klunder Architecten
Contractor: Heijmans
The passage
Three monumental columns bring the soul of the building to life. The form unfolds in an elegant, leaf-inspired geometry that gracefully ascends to embrace the ceiling, turning an everyday route through the building into a moment of pause.
Ceramic Column
Hundreds of unique 3D-printed tiles come together in an immersive pattern, finished in a warm golden transparent glaze. The tactile surface catches the light differently at every hour of the day, adding a moment of genuine joy and wonder to everyday life.
From sketch to fired tile
By controlling the entire process — from the first sketch to the final fired tile — Studio RAP provides absolute certainty on budget and timeline from the initial concept onwards.
About Studio RAP
Studio RAP is a Rotterdam-based team of architects that combines architecture with in-house manufacturing and craftsmanship, bringing bespoke detail back into architectural design. Ginkgo is one expression of that approach.
Location: Utrecht (NL)
Client: SSH
Ceramic Design & Fabrication: Studio RAP
Architect building: Klunder Architecten
Contractor: Heijmans