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De Burgemeester

Studioninedots tranformed an abandoned and anonymous office building into a vibrant multi-tenant complex pivoting around a sculptural staircase.

The office building on the Burgemeester Pabstlaan dates back to the 70's and is centrally located in Hoofddorp close to Amsterdam.

Out of the concrete floors we carved a 14-metre-tall void that houses a giant staircase that cuts diagonal lines through the void as it makes its way upwards, linking the different floors to one another. The staircase is constructed of steel and wrapped with simple sheets of plywood. Custom-made railings are milled from the same sheets using an affordable industrial technique that lends the result an almost handcrafted appearance.

Now people are on the move, making their way back and forth on the timber steps. Some of them linger for a chat, and there’s space on the broad treads to sit for a moment. The sound of chatter and the aroma of coffee from the café below now fill the hall. Most of the office space has already been leased, bringing the building back to life.

Studioninedots, De Burgemeester, Hoofddorp

Ymere housing association granted the building a new life as an office complex and in 2012 asked us to draw up a proposal. But the persistent crisis thwarted that ambition; it turned out to be unfeasible for a single client to occupy the entire building. That’s the reason why it was decided to team up with an investor called Lingotto and turn the building into a multi-tenant complex.

Since office space with all sorts of extra amenities was no longer a realistic option with a lower budget, we completely changed our original proposal. Workspaces are fitted out without any frills so that we could channel more resources into one spectacular, shared amenity that boosts the whole building: the sculptural staircase that lends the building a collective identity. As a vertical lobby that offers views of all floors, it tells occupants that they are part of a larger world. And precisely that feeling is the major quality of the renovated building.

On top of that, we maximized those qualities that De Burgemeester already possessed: views of the surrounding neighbourhood and generous amounts of daylight. The openness and transparency achieved through the addition of glass partition walls and the voluminous atrium ensures views to the outside from almost everywhere within. Suspended ceilings have been removed to reveal the authentic concrete floor with T-beams. Now this rough, column-free load-bearing structure determines the atmosphere.

To complete the story, we also designed the building’s visual identity. The leitmotif for the colourful graphic design is the comma, an optimistic punctuation mark that evokes positive expectations.