Savills Herengracht - Hollandse Nieuwe

Herengracht 105

Herengracht 105 is a historically significant building located in the heart of Amsterdam. The monumental building was constructed in 1952 on the site of a previous building that was bombed and destroyed in 1940.

Designed by architects Th. J. Lammers and K.L. Sijmons, the new office building was conceived so that it would fit aesthetically into its Amsterdam context, which consists of a dense collection of buildings from the 17^th and 18^thCenturies.

CLIENT	Savills
COMPLETION	2022
LOCATION	Amsterdam
PROGRAM	Renovation

Renovating

In 2020, Hollandse Nieuwe were asked to make a proposal for Herengracht 105’s renovation. The task here was two-fold: to functionally bring the building in line with current standards, while still respecting the building’s’ monumental status, especially with regards to materials and layout.

The office was originally built for coffee trader ‘Matagapla’. Several interior details highlighting the buildings original use. From the coffee bean decorations on the first floor ceiling, to the ornamented staircase having coffee beans and flowers along the balustrade, Herengracht 105 was already a building with a rich potential and heritage.

For these reasons, the original monumental elements, including the travertine marble floor, the balustrade and the wooden interior of the lift, were carefully restored to their original status.

A splash of coffee

The areas that were however not subject to the monumental listing were brought into the present day using a similar line of thinking as the original two architects. For example, the idea of the coffee bean as a thematic element was taken in a new direction by introducing coloured elements to each level.

These new colours reflect the lifespan of a single coffee bean and move from the green of the coffee plant at the lower level through to the darker burgundies of the roasting process higher up. These colours touch the floors, wall panelling and wayfinding elements and help deepen the connections between the building’s origins and its new renovation.

The final result is an elegant Amsterdam building that, while built in 1950, has been brought into the 21st century with considered restoration and a splash of coffee.