The former ‘Luitenant Generaal Knoop Kazerne’ in Utrecht has been transformed into contemporary Government Office ‘de Knoop’ with additional representation as a central meeting hub for all Dutch Central Government Ministries.

Voids, balconies and staircases make a continuous sequence of spaces in the new Government Office building that was created in collaboration with Cepezed and Rijnboutt. The interior offers a customer journey which centers on users’ needs. This ranges from the open, buzzing environment at arrival, to the restaurant the break-out areas and social hubs, and which becomes increasingly more personal towards the working domains, with the workplaces and small meeting areas.

Trees and plants are integrated in the design, while views of the city’s landmarks provide orientation. In the conference center, the open areas which are defined along the voids and staircases, can house up to 300 people to informally connect before and after meetings. The anchor points in the working domains are connected like a string of pearls in a necklace, each slightly different in order to do justice to the representation of the various users. The integration of art and every detail up to the graphics of the wayfinding was designed with a meticulous passion to create a truly integrated design.