City Hall Deventer

Neutelings-Riedijk architecten

Deventer, Grote Kerkhof

2006 – 2016

City Hall Deventer

During an outing last year in October, we decided to break the long way back home, by visiting Deventer. I found somewhere that the town hall there was designed by Neutelings – Riedijk architects, whom I knew from the MAS. Deventer was super and worth a trip back.

For 2016, the Deventer officials worked throughout the city. They decided to construct a new building, the monthly borrowing costs for the new building were lower than the rent for the old buildings. The building cost 65.4 million euros.

Inner Courtyards

The town hall fits in seamlessly with the typical Deventer tradition of gardens and courtyards, which are connected by paths, corridors and gates. As a visitor you walk past the reception to a covered courtyard where the counters are, but where you can also meet or read a newspaper. After the large courtyard there is another courtyard. Here the landscape architect used the same tiles as inside, making it look like the floor extends from the inside to the outside. In the middle of the outer court is a pond with sitting edges.

Natural light

The town hall quarter is one of the most sustainable office buildings in the Netherlands. Natural resources are used as much as possible. For example natural light, architect Riedijk says about this:

People are used to artificial light, but daylight is good for the well-being of people. You must be able to see the seasons.

Durability

If there is a need for artificial light, the electricity is generated by 800 m² of solar panels. The windows can simply open in the building, fresh air enters the building. The river water from the nearby river IJsel is used for heating and cooling in the building (the same happens in the MAS with the water from the nearby dock, the MAS is also from the same architect). Rainwater is used for flushing the toilets and it is infiltrated in the inner gardens, so that spraying with tap water is no longer necessary. There are green roofs. The façade of the town hall consists largely of robust blocks of concrete in which recycled natural stone granulate is incorporated. The architect has also taken the lifespan into account: thanks to the large spaces and high ceilings, it can be converted into, for example, shops or homes.

Framework

Just like other works by Neutelings – Riedijk architects, collaboration with artists and designers play a major role. Here was chosen for a project by artist Loes ten Anscher. 1 in 43 people from Deventer are represented in the building by their fingerprint. 2300 residents were selected via a sample to donate a fingerprint. These prints are cast in aluminum, framed by oak windows and integrated into the facade. Every participant has received a pendant with a unique number on it to be able to find their own print.