City Hall, offices and archive Grave

  • Design: 2003
  • Realisation: 2007
  • Client: Mooiland Maasland Grave
  • Gross Floor Area: 11,360m2
City Hall, offices and archive Grave

The new City Hall is part of a master plan developed by Erick van Egeraat for Grave in 1998, which distinguishes between two zones; the historic centre of Grave and the green space surrounding the old fortress. The new city hall is situated on the border between these two zones, on the exact location of the former fortification. The design refers to both, the historic centre and the surrounding landscape.This urban transition influenced the design significantly and lets the building blend into its environment unobtrusively, while making it accessible to the public. The fluent form of the complex refers to the former city wall, the interior structure of the building integrates the town’s characteristic alleyways as a theme into its layout. At the front, the building establishes itself as a city wall, with the office of housing corporation marking the highest and most prominent point; the back side, where the building encloses a public square, has a smaller-scale appearance.The building hosts three users: the municipality of Grave, the housing corporation Mooiland Maasland and the regional historic archive of the Province of North Brabant, BHIC. Seen from a distance, the building presents itself as a singular ensemble. Up close, specific identities of the users become apparent. The interior design follows the same concept of "unity and diversity" and creates a sequence of spaces in which the three users have their own identity, yet presenting themselves to the public as one coherent ensemble.

PDF

public Projects: