Belastingflat

A renovated town square for Emmen

The tax apartment building is part of the renovated Raadhuisplein (Town Hall Square), which was transformed in 2014 from a sprawling parking lot into a vibrant town square. The square is surrounded by the De Weiert shopping center, Emmen Town Hall, and Wildlands Adventure Zoo. With these public functions, Raadhuisplein has become an important meeting place for residents and visitors. Its central location in this urban heart makes the building an attractive place to live. The former office building has been redeveloped into a multi-directional residential building with 13 floors (including the basement), housing 74 apartments and 8 studios. The main entrance is located on Willinkplein and provides access to a spacious elevator lobby with two elevators and the main staircase. Commercial spaces are located on both sides of the plinth, contributing to the square's vibrancy. Bicycle parking and storage facilities are located in the basement.

Transformation of De Weiert

The original building was built in the late 1960s as a tax office, part of the then-new De Weiert shopping center. The nine-story office building was given a sleek, functional design characteristic of modernism from the period 1945–1970. What makes the design unique is the recessed glass facade compared to the concrete floor edges, creating a gallery—or balcony zone—around each floor. The building is a characteristic example of post-war modernism. Architecture from this period is now valued as modern heritage, with the clear load-bearing structure, horizontal articulation, and transparent facades essential to its identity. Therefore, the transformation focused on carefully preserving and enhancing this distinctive design language. At the same time, the building was adapted to meet the residential and sustainability requirements of today. Over the years, various elements were added or removed, but the key features of the original design remained recognizable and formed the starting point for the redevelopment.

Contemporary Facade

The horizontal lines of the floors strongly define the facade and align with the original functional architecture. Thanks to the column structure, the facade is non-load-bearing and allowed for maximum transparency; a key principle of the original design. Furthermore, the staircase is positioned on the facade, making the movement within the building visible and making the staircase an integral part of the facade. The existing horizontal bands were not technically reusable but return in the new design with a contemporary interpretation. At the same height as the original bands, but made of lightweight aluminum, they give the building a fresher appearance. The top section follows this trend, only with slimmer bands. Between the horizontal bands, the facade is filled with glass and Colorbel panels. The outdoor spaces are subtly integrated into the volume as loggias, allowing the building to retain its sleek contours. The double-height plinth complements the scale of the surrounding buildings on the square and has a stately appearance thanks to a vertical colonnade of slender columns.