The new offices for the law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer are located in an existing freestanding building. The projet sought to provide a feeling of quality as well as inspiration for employees and clients alike, and to promote the visibility of the practice whilst maintaining its privacy and professionalism. The building is located between the new Amsterdam World Trade Centre, a dynamic cluster of new towers, and a residential neighbourhood of modest mid-century villas.

The project was initially an office interior design project and grew into an architectural project. The existing building had a strongly articulated facade of tinted glass, bow windows, reverse-ziggurat corners, and pale cladding. Whilst it was impractical to reclad the whole building at this stage of its life, it was important to renovate the base building architecture to some degree to improve its presence whilst emphasising its new life. The architectural modifications concentrated on a clearly delineated”T” section through the building plan which encompasses all of the public environment of the building.

The new facade, whilst being much more transparent, has an integral strength in its finish and construction, respecting the structural matrix of the existing building. This design continues into the interior public spaces at the heart of the building, which provide a calm environment with a strong, confident character.

Client: Frenshfields Bruckhaus
Landlord: DEKA
Gross Floor Area:7000 m2

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