Vision - Breed Integrated Design

Vision

At BREED Integrated Design, we have a passion for the role that structure plays within the architecture. Structural design is shaped by the laws of physics, but it also needs to be crafted according to the spatial experience of the users. Through scale, rhythm, and materiality, a structure can enrich space, becoming an essential design instrument. We aim to be involved in the design process at an early stage, offering structural alternatives and collaborating with the architect and other design team members to achieve an optimal result.

Profile

Engineer Gilbert van der Lee founded BREED Integrated Design in 2006, a structural design firm where all building disciplines come together. It’s no coincidence that he combined his university studies in structural design at the Technical University in Eindhoven with architecture. Additionally, pursuing a Master’s degree in City Development (MCD) on integral urban development was not a conventional step for a structural designer.

“By delving into others’ work, you make that difference. I practice my profession better because I’m familiar with the world of architecture.”

Gilbert van der Lee gained experience at engineering firm Arcadis, where he played an advisory role in major projects such as the Amsterdam ArenA and the Northern University of Leeuwarden.

With BREED ID, he aims to bring parties closer together. “By collaborating, you come up with new ideas and lay the foundation for innovation. Architects like Gaudi and Frank Lloyd Wright were way ahead of their time by testing their designs against various laws of physics. The philosophy of architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe resonates with BREED ID’s ideas. With his philosophy of ‘less is more’, everything is in balance and nothing is unnecessary. The Barcelona Pavilion is a testament to this and serves as a source of inspiration.”

Sustainability

Natural resources are not infinite. Building inevitably means consuming natural resources. BREED Integrated Design believes that this can be done in a considered manner by maximizing the use of natural resources rather than depleting them.

Building sustainable can be applied in many ways: the material needed during construction and throughout its lifespan. Consider the material left after demolition, as well as the energy consumed by the building throughout its lifespan. Reuse of a wooden structure is always possible. In the worst case, it serves as fuel, making the material itself completely CO2-neutral. All stored CO2 is released during combustion. Only processing and transportation require energy.

Sustainability also stands for the robustness of the building. Is the building very specific for one purpose or built for multiple functionalities? And can we easily anticipate future changes? We think about this and gladly discuss sustainable construction during the design process.

BIM

Buildings are complex, and architects explore the boundaries of aesthetic and technical possibilities. BREED Integrated Design gladly accepts this challenge and has the necessary tools for it.

The Building Information Model, or BIM, is one integrated model of the building. All separate information from various consultants comes together in it. Internally, we use BIM as a platform for exchanging data for calculations and drawings. For example, if the installer needs an opening in a certain place, it is included in the calculation and directly incorporated into the drawing. This helps prevent errors, and all current information remains available. BREED generates 3D models, making adjustments immediately visible. All views, sections, and details are coherent. These 3D models facilitate the exchange of information with the design team.

A BIM model offers its added value from the beginning of the design process. ‘Clashes’ or collisions between architecture and construction or between construction elements are immediately visible. This simplifies making design decisions. BREED ID has been working with BIM for more years and implement the (Dutch) BIM Basic ILS and ILS Design and Engineering in there projects.

General Conditions

All our activities are subject to the Dutch Standard Agreement 2011 (DNR-2011). The DNR-2011 describes the legal relationship between client and contractor. This regulation was developed in collaboration with the Association of Dutch Architects (BNA) and NLingenieurs.