Westland
Town Hall
Architectenbureau Cepezed
www.cepezed.nl
The town hall functions as a center for the council as
well as for public services and ceremonial gatherings.
It is situated at the Verdilaan. The new municipality office houses
the majority of the municipal staff and is located at the Laan van
de Glazen Stad (Lane of the Glass City). The new edifices were
jointly realized within the framework of a Design Build Finance
Maintain and Operate-assignment that was granted to the Groene
Schakel (Green Link) consortium, which consists of Boele en Van
Eesteren, Homij Technische Installaties, the PHC Dienstengroep
and Kondor Wessels Projecten. The architecture and interior were
designed by cepezed and cepezedinterior.
Photo Info : Lucas Van Der Wee & Gert-Jan Vlekke
The buildings were conceived with a focus on a variety of themes,
such as representativeness, spatial quality, functionality, flexibili-
ty, comfort and sustainability. On both locations, the architecture
is based on the metaphor of a greenhouse. After all, the green-
house is an omnipresent element in the urban, cultural and eco-
nomic aspects of the Westland municipality. Within the context of
the greenhouse metaphor, the façade is the covering of everything
that lives and grows inside; a thin shell enabling internal process-
es to proceed swiftly and smoothly. The new town hall is a place
with optimal transparency. This adds to the building’s experience
as well as to the staff’s and visitor’s well-being, but it also under-
lines the democratic character of the town hall; there is a strong
visual connection between the inside and outside, between the
government and the civilians. Also characteristic of both the
greenhouse and the new town hall and government office is the
repetition in the rhythmic of the façades. On both locations, this
renders a pleasant and quiet streetscape. All color is on the inside.