Haarlemmermeer Town Hall

clients(s)

municipality haarlemmermeer

location

Hoofddorp

users(s)

residents, entrepreneurs, councillors, officials, aldermen and the mayor

The Town Hall square in Hoofddorp will be completely redesigned and the square wall will also change. The existing town hall on the square will make way for a new building. Sustainability and accessibility are paramount in this design, for both employees and residents. A round council chamber recalls the most striking aspect of the old building. The skylights and plenty of glass in the façade ensure a clear interior, full of daylight. The dense facade parts are clad with soft yellow ceramic elements embedded in anodised aluminium panels.

Explodedview gemeentehuis haarlemmermeer cepezed

Plein gemeentehuis haarlemmermeer cepezed — Cepezed

welcoming entrance hall

The transition between inside and outside has been softened by slightly receding the façade and introducing an overhang. The daylight, use of wood and terrazzo and the many plants provide a warm welcome and define the atmosphere deeper inside the building, where communal functions such as consultation areas and pantries for coffee are clustered along the central axis. Starting from the entrance area, the building is clearly zoned along that axis into public, semi-public and staff areas. The prominently visible, inviting counters in the spacious entrance hall encourage personal contact. The semi-public part contains consulting rooms adjacent to the axis. At the very end is the staff restaurant.

circular heart

The entrance area of the town hall has glass facades, behind which the building is more closed. The glass makes the round volume a real eye-catcher: it has two floors and extends through the roof. Below are the public reception desks; above are a wedding hall and the council chamber. The staircase is situated in such a way that the area in front of the council chamber provides another space for meetings. Due to its shape, its function and the dynamics that will arise here, this will literally and figuratively become the heart of the municipality of Haarlemmermeer.

Hart gemeentehuis haarlemmermeer cepezed — Cepezed

Interieur gemeentehuis haarlemmermeer cepezed — Cepezed

visible history

Although the building looks modern, the unique history of the municipality of Haarlemmermeer also speaks from the architecture. For instance, the ceramic elements are glazed up to NAP and matt above it. The level is also a prominent line at the entrance. Not only the round shape, but also literal elements from the current town hall that refer to the identity and history of this special polder are given a new purpose in the design. Solar panels on the roof make it tangible how sustainable the building is. The roof is also used for water retention, slowing down the discharge into the sewer system.