In Groningen, the Rijksmonument Dudok aan het Diep gives a 1950s ESSO petrol station by architect Willem Marinus Dudok a new life as a small-scale hospitality pavilion—paired with a renewed public space along the Diepenring. Designed by IRIS architecten together with Marseille Buiten, the transformation has been widely recognised, including awards at the Groninger Architectuurprijs 2025.
Details
For Kameleon Solar, this was a showcase of what solar can become in heritage contexts: not an add-on, but a storytelling surface. Using ColorBlast Design, we produced a black-and-white composition based on historic photographs of the original petrol station—embedding the building’s own past into its contemporary roofscape.
Technically, it was a highly customised delivery: 22 m² of PV, 22 panels, in 17 different sizes. The layout demanded precise detailing and coordination so the intervention stayed quiet, respectful, and visually coherent—while still generating clean energy.
Dudok aan het Diep proves that even on a protected monument, solar can be designed with care, craft, and character—supporting both the building’s new public function and its architectural legacy.