council office Westland

Two buildings, one idea 

cepezed’s assignment was in two parts: the town hall on the Verdilaan, which functions as the public and administrative centre, and the council office. Although the functions of the buildings differ, both have been designed with the same ambitions: distinguished appearance, spatial quality, efficiency, flexibility, comfort and sustainability. Appropriate for the Westland, which is well known for its horticulture under glass, ‘the greenhouse’ was used as an architectural metaphor for both locations.

Both the council office and the town hall on the Verdilaan were realized within a DBFMO contract

Typical Westland 

The council office is business-like on the outside and spacious, inviting and imposing on the inside. The use of colour in the interior is modelled on the colours in the Westland logo: white, blue and green. Additionally, in various spaces there are photo prints covering the entire wall with typical Westland images, reinforcing the identity.

Green atrium 

The building comprises two office bays with a high, luminous atrium laid out with greenery centrally in between. The atrium includes the reception and restaurant, and has a strong visual relationship with the forecourt. Connected to the upper floors by walkways, various different 'floating' islands have been included in the atrium. These are part of the circulation routes between the two freely adaptable bays.

No insular culture 

On the islands, there are seats and coffee points where employees can discuss the weekend or, for example, eat cake on a colleague’s birthday. In this way, the islands not only contribute to spatial diversity, but also stimulate meeting, interaction and social connection.

Work wherever you like 

The ground floor houses general functions such as the project, meeting and instruction rooms, goods delivery and the technical areas. On the upper floors, different types of workspaces have been arranged in open, semi-open and more enclosed zones. These zones are organized on the basis of hustle and bustle, murmur, and peace and quiet.

The quieter, more closed working areas are situated along the façades, while the places for discussions and collaboration are located round the atrium.

Good for climate and user 

The building is CO2 neutral. Energy demand is greatly reduced by a range of modern applications of technology and materials. The required energy is obtained largely sustainably using (partly thermal) PV panels. Phase Change Materials form a buffer for heat and cold storage.

Daylight is present everywhere and penetrates deep into the building. The prominent, open staircases stimulate active use of the office.

Sustainable design 

The materials used are sustainably produced, robust and low-maintenance. Sustainability is also achieved through the method of industrial, flexible and demountable construction (IFD). As a result, the realization took place as cleanly and efficiently as possible with a minimum of materials.

In addition, we paid a great deal of attention to flexible use and optimal possibilities for recycling and reuse of components.