Mecanoo

Mecanoo wins competition Municipal Offices and Station, Delft



Thursday July 12th, it has been officially announced that Mecanoo architecten in Delft, The Netherlands, won the competition for the new Municipal Offices and Station in Delft. The starting point for Mecanoo’s design is an interweaving of the city’s history with the future. Travellers arriving at the station will experience Delft as a city not only with a rich history but also as one of technological ingenuity. A vaulted ceiling on which a scene is depicted in Delft Blue crowns the impressive space. The ceiling of the station foyer continues above the city hall. The city hall and the station foyer are separated from each other by a glass wall and a nucleus from which the stairs and elevators lead to the municipal offices above. The vaulted ceiling is visible from anywhere within the building. The positioning of the amenities affords travellers a city view from the station foyer. Designed for maximum energy efficiency, the building consumes 35% less energy than government standards stipulate. The new 34,000 m2 Municipal Offices and Station will be completed in 2014 at a cost of € 52 million.



The building complex displays four front facades, featuring a more urban front to the Westvest and a smaller scaled fronting to the Westerkwartier. The building volumes are lowered on each corner to carefully transition into its surroundings. The glass skin of the city hall reflects the Dutch skies of Vermeer while making the building transparent: a democracy that is open and accessible. Incisions in the glass volume form a pattern of alleyways inspired by the intricate configuration of streets in Old Delft. The horizontal division of the building - with a plinth of clear glass and raised landscape of the municipal offices - illustrates a clear distinction between public and private. The first floor features multifunctional spaces, a restaurant, conference rooms and special rooms for the Mayor and the Alderman. Voids and spy holes offer spectacular views of the impressive city hall and the station foyer. On the facade, a digital news ticker marks the flowing lines of the building interior and illuminates the plinth at night. The news ticker displays actual information about public transportation, activities and news about the city of Delft.



Programme: Municipal offices with public lobby of 30,000 m2; station with shops, ticket office and restaurants in the station hall and underground platforms of 4,500 m2

Design: 2006-2007

Client: Ontwikkelingsbedrijf Spoorzone, Prorail, Municipality of Delft

Architect: Mecanoo architecten, Delft

Structural engineer: ABT bv, Delft

Building physics and building services consultant: Deerns Raadgevende Ingenieurs B.V., Rijswijk

Building costs consultant: Basalt bouwadvies bv, Nieuwegein

Risks analyses consultant: Aboma Keboma, Ede

Facade systems consultant: Permasteelisa Central Europe, Heerlen

Facade material consultant: 360 glas, Tilburg

Building costs: € 52,000,000 incl. installations