OFFICE BUILDING
NOORDHOLLANDSTAETE
renovation in Amsterdam
existing building
The office “Noordhollandstaete”, was designed in the late ‘60s by the architectural office “Drexhage Sterkenburg Bodon Venstra”. It is located in the district Buitenveldert of Amsterdam.
To decrease the roughness of the existing grind concrete facade, the new facade consists of open travertine. The new window frames are recessed, just like the existing situation. The original floor plans have a symmetrical structure with a rectangular core of facilities which is surrounded by office blocks. In the new design, the symmetry is degraded by extending the entrance of the building towards the park.
NOORDHOLLANDSTAETE
renovation in Amsterdam
| client: | ING Vastgoed, Asset Management bv, Den Haag |
| design: | Gert Jan Knevel |
| project team: | Martin van der Klooster |
| management: | BOAG bv, Rotterdam |
| advisors: | J.H. Duyts Adviesbureau voor bouwconstructies, Amsterdam |
| contractor: | Derksen & Singerling Bouw- en Aanneming-mij, Ouderkerk a/d Amstel |
| location: | Noordhollandstraat 71 Amsterdam |
| site area: | 2.750 m² |
| floor area: | 2.943 m² |
| start design: | November 1996 |
| completion: | September 1998 |
existing building
The office “Noordhollandstaete”, was designed in the late ‘60s by the architectural office “Drexhage Sterkenburg Bodon Venstra”. It is located in the district Buitenveldert of Amsterdam.
To decrease the roughness of the existing grind concrete facade, the new facade consists of open travertine. The new window frames are recessed, just like the existing situation. The original floor plans have a symmetrical structure with a rectangular core of facilities which is surrounded by office blocks. In the new design, the symmetry is degraded by extending the entrance of the building towards the park. 
assignment
The assignment concerns the renovation of a freestanding office building with a scope of 2.500 m2 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Important part of the assignment is the requirement of enlarging the technical areas without the loss of rentable office space.
design
Examination of the urban zoning plan led to the discovery that the volume originally could be one level higher then eventually built. This has led to a plan where the second floor could be fully utilized for office functions, caused by adding an extra level on top of the existing building. The necessary installation rooms are placed in the extra building level.
The program defined a new entrance for disabled persons. This requirement led to the idea of a intersection over the entire depth of the ground floor at the rear of the building. By the intersections a wooden finished wall is provided. This wall runs all the way to the entrance side and makes a warm and welcoming gesture to the visitors. Caused by the wall, an orientation line is created within the building. 
