
© DNB
Renovation of DNB's head office
Employees of De Nederlandsche Bank will return to the headquarters building on Frederiksplein in Amsterdam on 6 January 2025. Nearly five years of renovation work have resulted in a building that is ready for the future, sustainable and open for all.
At the heart of society
The prominent structure on Amsterdam’s Frederiksplein was technically obsolete five years ago and fell short of today’s sustainability requirements. It was severely outdated in a functional sense, and without technically necessary measures, the continuity of the building and the safety of employees and visitors could not be guaranteed in the long run. Heightened security risks led to the decision to move the gold and cash to Zeist.
Respecting architect Marius Duintjer’s original design, architecture firm Mecanoo has fully renovated the DNB building and it is now once again part of the city. The building’s openness and transparency have been restored, enhancing its connection with its surroundings and the community. This office building enables DNB to face the challenges of today and tomorrow.
A place for connection and inspiration
With a total of 67,000 m2 of floor space, the building is once again the home office for more than 2,300 Amsterdam-based DNB employees. In addition, the building boasts a knowledge hub and experience centre for both the financial sector and the general public. The relocation of the cash operations and over 200 tonnes of gold to our new built Cash Centre in Zeist made it possible to open the building’s ground floor and basement levels to the public.
This public space (4,800 m2) in and around the former gold vault is called De Nieuwe Schatkamer, and it will be open to everyone as from March 2025. Everyone who is interested can learn about DNB’s
core activities through exhibitions, interactive games, seminars and debates, and they can discover our art and money collections.
DNB staff, students, school groups, local residents and all other interested parties will soon come together in De Nieuwe Schatkamer. This will help DNB to be even more aware of what is going on in society.
DNB President Klaas Knot on the importance of openness: ‘At DNB, we are at the very heart of society, so it is also important for us to be open and accessible. Openness helps us do our work effectively. We work for everyone in the Netherlands on stable prices, on solid and honest financial institutions, on a reliable and stable payment system. In fact, on sustainable prosperity for all. This building is going to help us tremendously in that respect.
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Sustainability to the fore
DNB sees sustainable investment as a social responsibility. Opting for renovation rather than new build saved 70,000 tonnes of construction materials, reducing the environmental impact by 50% compared to a completely new building. The renovated building is climate-friendly, both in construction and in daily use, in compliance with the BREEAM Outstanding sustainability standard. All modifications with regard to sustainability and the relocation of our cash operations contribute to reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions by more than 80% compared to before the renovation
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The building is designed to make maximum use of renewable resources, and it features energy-efficient installations to reduce energy consumption. It has a thermal energy storage system. Solar panels have been extensively installed, and there are sedum roofs. Thanks to these techniques, the building contributes to a climate-neutral city
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Anything that was still good was reused
Part of the concrete removed during renovation was used to construct the embankment. Injecting it with CO2 resulted in carbon-neutral concrete. We have also been able to contribute recycled concrete to 80 social housing units in Amsterdam. The boulders that previously surrounded the building will find a new home in a sports park elsewhere in Amsterdam.
Office furniture is being reused, rainwater will be collected and wood from old and diseased poplars in Amsterdam has been turned into ceiling slats.
Lush gardens
Wherever you are in the building, you will see greenery. Where the round tower once stood, a city garden has been created. Amsterdam residents and passers-by can escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy the splendidly landscaped and peaceful garden.
A courtyard garden has been added on the first floor on the building’s east side. Employees and guests can stroll, meet and have lunch here during office hours. There will also be a vegetable and herb garden for employees with a green thumb.
A roof garden has been created on the building’s third floor on the Frederiksplein side. When designing the many green spaces in and around the building, much thought was given to the best mix of native and non-native plant species to maximise biodiversity.
The embankment on the sunny south side of the building has been lowered to the level of the Singelgracht canal. This waterfront terrace is accessible to everyone.
A pleasant working environment
The design and layout of the office promote cooperation and social cohesion. The WELL Platinum certification acknowledges the quality of the working environment and attention to employee well-being, as reflected in the range of different workstations and the greenery and art found throughout the workplace. Special windows mean employees can let in fresh air, even on higher floors. The interior layout can be easily rearranged if circumstances call for organisational changes or different ways of working.

An iconic design restored to its former glory
Marius Duintjer's original 1968 design was groundbreaking at the time for its minimalist lines, understated use of materials and transparency. Through the years, the building was altered in ways that affected its original character, such as the addition of mezzanine floors, security measures and the round tower in 1991.
Architect Francine Houben of Mecanoo has restored the building’s original appearance. The ground floor is surrounded entirely by glass, the double-storey elevation of the old Cash Hall has been restored and the original façade composition with its characteristic brown tiles has been preserved. The round tower has been removed, restoring the unencumbered sightlines between the Utrechtsestraat and De Pijp.
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Interesting facts
- The metres-thick vault wall was cut through to create the new main entrance. This required saw blades of up to two metres, and the operation took two days.
- DNB asked the Children's Council to help think about design details. We followed their recommendation to paint the walls of the former vault gold.
- There was some colour variation in the tiles of the original façade. This variation occurred during the production process. As the façade is part of an urban conservation area, Mecanoo conducted extensive colour studies to replicate these variations as accurately as possible.
- Part of the fencing that stood around the building for years has been incorporated into the new design as a gateway to the city garden. The remaining fencing will be used in the Mien Ruys Landscape Park in the town of Bergeijk.
- Mecanoo took inspiration from Duintjer’s two original spiral staircases: modern versions have been added in two places in the heart of the building.
- All six original vault doors have been preserved in De Nieuwe Schatkamer.
- The cast-iron arch from the former Palace of Industry has been preserved at the entrance to the car park.
Special place in the city
Since its founding in 1814, DNB has been located in Amsterdam’s city centre, initially at Oude Turfmarkt. Due to a land swap with the municipality, the bank received a plot on Frederiksplein for its new headquarters in the 1950s.
Until then, Amsterdam residents mainly knew this location as the site of the former Utrecht Gate and the famous 19th-century Palace of Industry. Initiated by the physician, entrepreneur and benefactor Samuel Sarphati, the Palace of Industry graced its surroundings and
was an attraction for people from all over the country. It burned down in 1929.
Sarphati’s ideas about bringing culture, economics, entrepreneurship and science together in one place for all was revolutionary at the time. The recent renovation has reintegrated DNB’s headquarters into the urban environment, and breathes new life into Sarphati’s aspirations.
Renovation within budget
Total costs associated with the renovation are €320 million. This includes the restructuring of the public space in the building’s immediate vicinity, the rent and renovation of the temporary office building near the Amstel Station and the move there and back.
By being cost-conscious and optimising our corporate real estate portfolio, we managed to complete the Frederiksplein renovation within budget while also reducing operating costs significantly.
Renovation despite scheduling challenges
At the start of the project in 2018, the target commissioning date was set for the end of 2024. When the decision was made in 2019 to temporarily relocate the cash operations and gold to Haarlem, the expectation was that this would allow the renovation to proceed more efficiently and the renovated building to be commissioned about a year earlier. However, the unforeseen replacement of the low-rise façade – due to a large amount of asbestos – led to a one-year delay. As a result, the expected time savings were not achieved and the opening of our renovated headquarters will take place according to the original schedule.
The building in figures
- 67,000 m2 gross floor area, of which 4,800 m2 in De Nieuwe Schatkamer;
- 16 floors above and 3 floors below ground level;
- 1,380 solar panels installed on the roofs;
- 4,270 m2 of greenery added in and on the building. An additional 800 m2 of greenery around the building;
- 14,100 plants;
- 46 trees and shrubs;
- 1,150 flower bulbs;
- 64 nest boxes for bats, 16 on each side of the building;
- 2 insect hotels and 1 felled tree in the city garden that also serves as an insect hotel;
- 70,000 tonnes of building materials were saved by opting for renovation rather than new construction; as a result, the environmental impact is 50% lowe
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