A sustainable town hall where landscape, social interaction and administration meet
De Ronde Venen Town Hall
The new town hall of De Ronde Venen in Mijdrecht, designed by De Zwarte Hond, replaces an outdated building that no longer met the requirements for work, sustainability and public service. Located on Vermogenweg in the middle of the polder landscape, the new energy-neutral town hall is designed to be an open, recognisable and future-proof public building. Consisting partly of three and partly of four storeys, the building has a fully wooden load-bearing structure. The combination of a clear building structure and a cantilevered installation concept ensures flexibility and sustainability now and in the future. The robust and understated architecture features a clear rhythm of wooden beams and columns. The sloping roof subtly references the agricultural buildings and historical fortifications found in the surrounding area.
An ornamental garden, a polder garden and an entrance garden surround the town hall, forming a transition between the landscape, the public area and the interior. From the inviting entrance garden, visitors enter the central heart of the building, where public functions, workspaces and meeting areas converge. From here, you can also access the meeting rooms and the council chamber. Large façade openings ensure ample daylight and a strong connection with the surrounding landscape. The result is a clearly structured, sustainable and solid building designed for long-term needs – a town hall that reflects the identity of De Ronde Venen and provides space for administration, social interaction and everyday use.
data
- Location
- Mijdrecht, NL
- Size
- 5.000 m²
- Client
- Gemeente De Ronde Venen
- Discipline
- Architecture
- Program
- Public Buildings
- Period
- 2025-2027
- Status
- In Development
Strong landscape integration
The existing town hall no longer met current requirements for work, sustainability and service delivery. The building was fragmented and technically outdated, making it difficult to adapt to new forms of working and public functions. The municipality also had ambitions to become more sustainable and achieve future-proof accommodation that was energy-neutral, flexible and as demountable as possible. The new municipal building of De Ronde Venen is situated on Vermogenweg in the Mijdrecht polder landscape. The positioning of the building and the surrounding outdoor spaces strengthens the connection between the building and the landscape. Together, the ornamental garden, the polder garden and the entrance garden form a transition between the public area and the interior, making the building feel accessible and human in scale.
The rhythm of the façade enhances the municipal building’s recognisability. The sloping roof subtly references the agricultural buildings and historical fortifications in the surrounding area. In this way, the building is firmly anchored in its context.
Various outdoor spaces
Connecting people and the environment
A central heart
Clear programme division
Use, daylight and sustainability
From the entrance garden, visitors enter the heart of the building, where public functions converge and people work and meet. The other functions, such as the council chamber, offices and meeting rooms, are organised around this central area.
This clear layout makes the building well organized and accessible, strengthening the connection between people and their environment. The various outdoor spaces connect to this, forming one cohesive whole with the interior. Daylight and views were decisive factors in the organization of the floor plans and façade openings. Due to the angled shape of the building, views of the surrounding landscape and of each other are available from virtually all work and living spaces. Large façade openings bring in abundant daylight and strengthen the relationship between the interior and the landscape without compromising technical or functional requirements.
The interior has a warm appearance thanks to the visible wooden structure, which makes the building’s natural materiality palpable.
Sustainable architecture and materialization
The building is energy-neutral and designed to be as demountable as possible, featuring a fully wooden load-bearing structure. Wooden beams and columns, together with ceramic façade elements, form a robust and clear architectural design. The consistent design ensures the building is recognizable, sustainable and will have a long lifespan. The clear structure and sustainable material choices result in a solid building that will last a long time.
Dwarsdoorsnede
Zijaanzicht
Ground floor
First floor
Second floor
