From the brand new Steekterpoort control center in the city of Alphen aan den Rijn, approximately 30 bridges in the region are operated. These aren’t limited to only provincial bridges, but also bridges in municipalities in the area. The Steekterpoort control center replaces a number of existing operation rooms.

The state-of-the-art facility ensures fast, safe and reliable supervision of professional and recreational boating. Many processes have been automated, but the operators have the ability to intervene if necessary. The design philosophy of the control center was based on limiting the disruption of road traffic (open bridges) as well as maritime traffic (closed bridges) as much as possible through efficient operation.

The building was designed by BLOK KATS VAN VEEN ARCHITECTEN (BKVV) as ecologically conscious and zero-energy. This means the goal is to achieve the lowest possible use of energy during both construction and use. The impact on the environment has been taken into account in the design and during construction. The building provides its own energy and has no CO2 emission. The terrain encompassing the building has been ecologically landscaped into a public park, which makes it optimally blend into the environment.

The Slimline floor system contributes to the slender looks of the building. Slimline offered the lightweight solution which integrates thermal activation as an energy efficient climate system. An extraordinary request by the architect were the round, non-segmented elements for the front side of the façade. The new control center has been opened on 2 December 2013.