The George
- Baru
- Venue
EVENT SPACE:
If George Lucas (California, 1944) had not been in a near-fatal car crash as a teenager, Star Wars would probably not have meant much to us now. Because Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, originally wanted to become a racing driver. After the accident he changed his mind and decided to go into filmmaking instead. He started as …
EVENT SPACE:
If George Lucas (California, 1944) had not been in a near-fatal car crash as a teenager, Star Wars would probably not have meant much to us now. Because Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, originally wanted to become a racing driver. After the accident he changed his mind and decided to go into filmmaking instead. He started as an intern for Francis Ford Coppola and then set up his own film production company. In 1977 he released the first Star Wars movie which unexpectedly became a huge hit. He earned most of his 4.9-billion-dollar fortune from the rights to Star Wars merchandising.
The distinctive black cube on the Johan Huizingalaan (next to the A4 and A10 ringway) was originally built as IBM’s headquarters. The adjacent hall served as a typewriter factory. After IBM left its premises, several developers prepared large-scale area development with offices as its main focus. The plan was to build an “extension of the Zuidas” (major business district along the ringway A10) in this spot.
Founders Guus, Ricardo and Bas decided to take action. The office building, with her excesses – large floors, accessibility, and robustness – afforded an opportunity to do things differently. Today, it is the lively center of B. where innovative entrepreneurs meet. ‘B.1’ houses 350 pioneering companies, rooftop restaurant Bureau, a rooftop park, coffee lounges, a cinema and gym.