Paris Proof national monument as new Royal HaskoningDHV office in Delft
The Mining Engineering building in Delft is a monumental property that dates back to 1912. We have renovated the former TU Delft educational building to create a Paris Proof national monument which will serve as one of our offices from the start of 2025.
Project facts
- ClientRoyal HaskoningDHV
- Parties involvedRoyal HaskoningDHV (PM & Engineering, Architect Monument Shell), SPIE Nederland (Main contractor), Braaksma & Roos (Architect Monument Shell), Fokkema&Partners (Interior architect)
- LocationDelft, the Netherlands
- ChallengeRenovation of the monumental Mining Engineering building from 1912 to create an inspiring and sustainable Paris Proof working environment while preserving the historic character and making the building suitable for the modern workplace concept
- Date2025
- SolutionApply various sustainable measures such as insulation, renewable energy sources and advanced climate control systems. As a result, the building will become energy-efficient and completely gas-free and the historic character will be preserved.
How do you make a national monument sustainable?
The central questions in the design process were: how can we transform an existing building into a modern working environment for our employees and how can we ensure that the accommodation actually contributes to our primary process? Networking, collaboration and sharing knowledge are central within our organisation and a building and the environment need to contribute to that. The location of the new building was also important. We wanted to develop an exemplary project and that was why we chose the Mining Engineering building in Delft. And we saw that contact with the environment developed even before we started using the building.In addition, our aim is to create an environment that can serve as a kind of testing ground where new developments and technologies are used to inspire clients. For instance, at our office in Amsterdam the focus was on urban development and now the emphasis in Delft is on becoming one of the most sustainable national monuments. That is quite a challenge in practice because how can you get a national monument to meet the requirements of Paris Proof and Net Zero? And how do you ensure that a building from 1912 which presents technical challenges such as moisture problems, asbestos and contaminated soil can go on for at least another 50 years?
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Facilitating meetings in a sustainable monument
The role of accommodation has changed considerably in recent years. We are working from home a lot more and offices are increasingly being seen as places to meet and work together. This approach made us look at the building differently. Parallel to that, modernising a monumental building and making it sustainable also presented a major challenge. For instance, we went into this project with a standard plan of requirements but quickly found that it was not appropriate for this unique building. The building was a lot more dominant in terms of the possibilities than we had first thought.New look at the workplace
Within our organisation, we focus on sharing knowledge. We see learning on the job and innovation on the job as critical factors for success, for example. Part of our strength lies in applying knowledge from one sector in another sector. With the move to working from home, we have seen this give rise to a challenge due to the fact that it is now not as easy to learn from colleagues and other professionals around you. For this, you want an open office environment that is people-centric and facilitates meetings. We expect our new working environment on the Delft campus to make a significant contribution to this.In the design strategy for the Delft office, we focused on optimising opportunities for meetings. For instance, we have encouraged people to meet at coffee points, shared work spaces, landing places and in corridors. Take the queue for the coffee machine, for example. If people start talking to each other, standing in line actually becomes an unplanned chance meeting whereas if they reach for their phones, the queue can cause annoyance. So you try to find the perfect balance. In the building, changes have been made to facilitate both meeting and undisturbed working. Numerous soundproof pods, rooms and landing places have been added to make this possible.
This office is a beautiful workplace that will stimulate collaboration and innovation. We show how you can sustainably preserve valuable cultural heritage for future generations.
Facilitating meetings in a sustainable monument
The role of accommodation has changed considerably in recent years. We are working from home a lot more and offices are increasingly being seen as places to meet and work together. This approach made us look at the building differently. Parallel to that, modernising a monumental building and making it sustainable also presented a major challenge. For instance, we went into this project with a standard plan of requirements but quickly found that it was not appropriate for this unique building. The building was a lot more dominant in terms of the possibilities than we had first thought.Sustainability in figures
0Renewable energy
0PV Panels
0Energy reduction
Added value of the right expertise
A lot of disciplines and stakeholders have been involved in the project, both external and also internal. Because of the wealth of expertise we have in-house, many of our own specialisms have been included in our future 'calling card'. The multidisciplinary approach has made this project quite complex because some components can also contradict each other.
For specific project components, we have also involved external dependent consultants. We brought in a monument architect, for example, with specific knowledge in this specialist area, and also carried out extensive cultural and environmental research.
Asset management of a sustainable monument
While the asset management of our new office building will be kept in-house, the actual maintenance will be contracted out again. This approach enables us to maintain the highest standards of quality while remaining flexible with our operational strategies at the same time.One important aspect of our asset management is the use of scenario plans. These plans enable us to regularly assess whether all systems and processes are working properly. Not only do these assessments allow us to identify and resolve any problems early on, they also enable us to plan future maintenance and improvement schedules proactively. By following this strategy, we can create a working environment that is not only efficient and reliable but also sustainable and future-proof.
The new office in the monumental Mining Engineering building in Delft will be officially occupied in May 2025. This sustainable and innovative office will provide an inspiring workplace for our experts and serve as an exemplary project that shows how historic buildings can meet modern requirements for sustainability and efficiency. Read more about the development of future-proof and sustainable buildings.
