The Mayor: that an office once stood here will soon seem impossible

The imposing office building had much to recommend it. With saw blades of one metre in diameter, the interconnected structure.

The impressive office building had a lot of good things going for it. Using saw blades of one meter in diameter, the connected building has been 'cut up' into five stately buildings that stand with their feet in the green. By dividing the immense building, everyone will soon have a chic, private entrance and the new side walls could become windows. The entire office is stripped from the inside, not a single wall remains standing. The only thing that remains is the escape stairs, covered with marble.

By Lodewijk Baljon

None other than Lodewijk Baljon Garden and Landscape Architects – who also designed the park above the sunken A9 – created a design for the courtyard gardens of The Mayor. By the way, not only the surroundings turn green, but also the roof. Rainwater is collected there. These are all excellent measures to combat heat stress in the city.

Unrecognizable and as new

Project developer Eltjo Hamster: “We have retained what is good and added quality and luxury. In winter, heat is pumped up via the WKO system to heat the floor, in summer the system can cool. The system offers numerous options for integrated air conditioning and that feels very comfortable. Naturally, there are solar panels on the roof and the new aluminum frames are equipped with well-insulated glazing. We will even re-insulate the facades, after which we will provide them with a fresh, white plaster layer.”

Circular development, de Nijs makes it concrete

During such a large-scale transformation, materials are likely to be released that are reusable? “Certainly!”, Eltjo continues. “The complete furnishing package for the KPMG boardroom is now at De Nijs and we have made consultation rooms from the wooden ceilings at our head office. The original fire brigade panels (maps) made of brass are so special that we have kept them. We may have an artist create a beautiful work of this for the hall of one of the buildings.”

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