Johnson Wax Office Building and Factory / Huig Maaskant | Classics on Architecture Lab

Architects: Huig Maaskant, Maaskant, Van Dommelen, Kroos, and Senf
Year: 1964
Photography: Marilene Dubois, Sergé Technau, Jan Derwig, Johnson Wax
City: Mijdrecht
Country: Netherlands

The Johnson Wax Office Building and Factory, famously known as “the boomerang”, designed by Huig Maaskant in Mijdrecht, Netherlands, is an iconic example of modernist architecture. Completed in 1964, this boomerang-shaped office structure is suspended over a pond and supported by concrete columns. It features an elevated walking bridge connecting it to the factory, which houses production, staff facilities, and storage. The design emphasizes sculptural qualities and integrates sustainability with natural wells and wind energy projects. The building, known as “the boomerang,” reflects SC Johnson’s commitment to innovative and sustainable architecture.

In the 1960s, the American firm Johnson Wax, known for its household cleaning supplies, established its first European branch in Mijdrecht, Netherlands. Dutch architect Huig Maaskant was commissioned to create an “unusual design.” Maaskant, who admired American culture and had designed significant post-war buildings in Holland, conceived a striking boomerang-shaped structure suspended above a square pond. This building is supported by five tapering pilotis made of poured concrete and is connected to the factory via an elevated walking bridge.

The office units are prominently visible from the outside, arranged between two thin concrete slabs forming the floor and ceiling of the boomerang. The rounded ends are filled in with concrete slabs, further enhancing the sculptural quality of the building, which is accentuated by its reflection in the pond below. The adjacent factory, a boxed edifice, contains the production area, staff facilities, storage spaces, and an interior garden.

Originally faced with aluminum plates, the factory has undergone extensive modernization. However, various interior features, such as the blue ceiling, linoleum floor, and white-marble floor in the central hall, have been preserved. In 2015, the boomerang, the elevated walking bridge, and the pond were designated as buildings of “national significance” but are no longer used as office space.

The Johnson Wax premises include a small production unit, a large storage area, and an office building arranged around a patio. Johnson Sr., a friend and patron of Frank Lloyd Wright, granted Maaskant creative freedom for the offices. The result, a boomerang-shaped structure hovering above an ornamental pond, is a testament to purely aesthetic considerations, with its plans and details showcasing a sculptural quality. This architectural marvel, described as “one of the most arresting business architectural designs in Holland” in a 1966 Johnson newsletter, reflects light from the pond’s ripples, creating a shimmering effect on the structure.

Huig Aart Maaskant, born on August 17, 1907, in Rotterdam, left a significant mark on architecture with his grand vision and post-war designs. After studying at the Rotterdamse academie van Beeldende kunst en Technische wetenschappen, he collaborated with Willem van Tijen, creating notable pre-war housing projects and the iconic post-war Groothandelsgebouw in Rotterdam. Maaskant’s solo career featured monumental structures like the Euromast and Scheveningen Pier, symbolizing the optimism of the post-war welfare state with their grand-scale modernist architecture.

Europlant, as the Johnson Wax site is known, integrates modernistic architecture with sustainable practices. The pond beneath the administration wing, filled by 16 natural wells, provides a renewable water supply for fire safety. All water used onsite is recycled, and a significant tree cultivation program helps reduce CO2 emissions. The site also houses one of SC Johnson’s largest wind energy projects, with an 80-meter tall turbine generating half the energy needed for Europlant, complemented by purchased wind power. Since its opening in 1964, the Europlant team has continually sought efficiency and sustainability, sending zero waste to landfills.

The Johnson Wax Office Building and Factory stands as a symbol of a forward-looking company committed to high business standards and sustainable practices. Huig Maaskant’s architectural vision, characterized by its sculptural quality and innovative design, continues to inspire and reflect an era of progress and optimism.

Project Location

Address: Groot Mijdrechtstraat 81, 3641 RV Mijdrecht, Netherlands

Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.