De Nederlandsche Bank / Mecanoo

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Text description provided by the architects. De Nederlandsche Bank (1968) is located on the historic 'Utrechtse Poort' site close to Amsterdam's canal belt. Until 1929, this was the location of the Paleis voor Volksvlijt (Palace of Industry), designed by Samuel Sarphati, which was destroyed by fire that same year. Sarphati's vision – uniting culture, economy, entrepreneurship, and science in one place for all people – was revolutionary at the time. De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) is the independent central bank of the Netherlands, committed to financial stability, a smooth and secure payment system, and the supervision of financial institutions. The DNB building, designed by architect Marius Duintjer, was modern and functional. However, it was not embraced by the people of Amsterdam, who found that it was unapproachable and contrasted with the historic architecture of the city centre. For the complex – consisting of a low-rise, square-shaped building (110 x 120 metres) and a 73-metre-high office tower – Duintjer drew inspiration from the mid-century modern architecture of Mies van der Rohe and SOM found in the United States. At the time, the design was pioneering due to its minimalist lines, restrained use of materials, and transparency. However, that sense of transparency was soon lost due to security requirements; the building became a fortress with fences, large boulders, and armed military police. In 1991, a circular tower was added in the courtyard, and a third floor was placed atop the low-rise square. With the decision to relocate the gold reserves and banknote operations to the Cash Centre in Zeist, the opportunity arose to transform this heavily secured and overdue-for-renovation building and open it up to the greater public in a more engaging way. The circular tower was no longer needed and could be dismantled in a modular manner.