The former postal sorting center in The Hague, constructed in 1939, has been converted into the sustainable headquarters of the Dutch national mail service. The design prioritizes employee well-being, flexibility, and future adaptability. The office fosters a harmonious balance by offering both private and open spaces for innovation. To achieve this, the interior layout is reminiscent of a house, featuring diverse interconnected spaces suitable for various work styles.
The building's spatial arrangement, characterized by its rhythmic monumentality, shapes the interior design, ensuring a comfortable and cozy atmosphere by creating smaller, more intimate units. The layout along the facade incorporates wooden frames filled with textile, serving multiple purposes such as privacy, light transmission, acoustic attenuation, filtered transparency, and spatial definition. The furniture complements this structure, providing options for collaborative or individual work, fostering diversity.
Parallel to the voids running along the facade, spaces of various sizes have been established throughout the building, creating enclosed areas for specific activities. Streets built on the central axis provide access to these areas while preserving the integrity of the surroundings. These streets, along with squares and gardens, serve as meeting places and enhance the building's impressive construction, spanning nearly ninety meters. The open center and logical route systems foster a sense of community, making it easy for employees to connect within the international corporation.
The Station post building's interior design reflects its monumental character and aligns with the organization's core values of diversity, inclusion, and well-being. It aims to appeal to people of all generations and create a sense of belonging for both long-time employees and new talent. The interior predominantly features natural, sustainable, and technical materials such as wood, loam plaster, residual stream bricks, textile, magnetic colored glass, self-healing steel, and biobased binder terrazzo. These materials, combined with the existing architecture, create a distinctive visual language that enhances the overall experience of PostNL's new home.
Sustainability was a key consideration in the transformation of the building. Measures were implemented to extend its lifespan, allowing for flexible reconfiguration along the facade without extensive remodeling. About 15% of the floor area is highly flexible, with adjustable walls for versatile use. The interior is designed for end-of-life scenarios, with detachable features for easy reuse and recycling. Renewable and secondary materials are prioritized to minimize the use of primary raw materials. Acoustic comfort is achieved through well-planned activity programming, offering both vibrant meeting areas and quieter zones. The interior redesign meets WELL and BREEAM guidelines and has received an 'Excellent' BREEAM-in-use certification.