House of Dentons

Dentons

Dentons is the biggest law firm of the world, with a polycentric knowledge network and branches in 73 countries. Studio PROTOTYPE has been asked to design the interior concept of ‘House of Dentons’ for their Dutch branch, with approximately 6000 m2 located in the Viñoly building on Amsterdam’s Zuidas. Studio PROTOTYPE collaborated with DZAP a design & build construction in order to get from first sketch to final realization within a year. Thanks to smart phasing by housing advisor Cushman & Wakefield, Dentons was able to keep working in the Viñoly buiding during the rebuilding.

The principle of House of Dentons is a warm & timeless interior that translates the polycentric character of Dentons into a versatile interior. The concept exists out of a variety of places with their complete own character that stimulates meeting & movement on the basis of intuition & openness. The central place within the concept is an atrium, that feels like the heart where the dynamics of the interior becomes visible. Places such as the entrance landscape, the meeting lane, art gallery and the green tribune garden are laced together in a beautiful way and create diversity in ‘ways of working’, but give a sequence of different (interior) experiences too.

The sequential experience is being strengthened by the effect of wings, by adding large wooden discs on strategical positions on the plan. They create beautiful bounded spaces with several vistas to other spaces. With ‘House of Dentons’ a work environment has been created to offer security and comfort while at the same to function as a stage for talent to excel on.

The Grove

schiphol real estate

Commissioned by Schiphol Real Estate, The Grove is a distinctive multi-tenant office building designed by studio PROTOTYPE in collaboration with VDNDP. Located in the Schiphol Central Business District (CBD) and adjacent to The Base office complex, The Grove also enjoys a prime position along the A4 highway.

The project begins with the goal of creating a healthy and sustainable work environment, where the design focuses on the people. The project is designed in a dynamic fashion with a natural flow to invite people to the heart of the building.With the orientation of the atrium towards the sun, it allows the sunlight to reach deep inside the building. It includes a tribune and a green, enclosed space with seating and lounge areas, designed by MOSS Amsterdam. The atrium’s design mimics the feel of an intimate orchard courtyard, offering a spacious, open area with structured viewpoints. These points act as the eyes of the building and function as reception areas for the various tenants of The Grove.

The building’s exterior features a unique, transparent design that wraps around the curves of the building volume. This creates lively reflections and changing light effects, offering a dynamic view of Schiphol. The Grove is a sustainable building (BREEAM Excellent), equipped with SMART building technology systems and a structure made from cross-laminated timber. It will be a multi-tenant office space, offering around 10,400 m² of flexible floor area that can accommodate businesses of different sizes. The adjacent green public space is designed by Flux Landscape Architecture.

Meet & Greet

Blenheim Advocaten

Studio PROTOTYPE has based the plan with a great respect towards the building’s original ideas. New and careful interventions reinfore the existing core values of the building. The raw character of the concrete supporting structure is left exposed and combined with new timeless materials, such as terrazzo and Cararra marble.  

Ministry of Defence

Rijksvastgoedbedrijf

The Ministry of Defence has been an important part of The Hague for many years, with its main office located on Kalvermarkt for centuries. Over time, the building grew in different stages, especially until the mid-1900s. By the early 2000s, however, it became clear that a major renovation was needed. A comprehensive renovation and modernization were required, both to update the working areas and to integrate the separate components of the building into a cohesive whole.

The solution came in the form of a bold architectural decision: covering the Ministry’s existing courtyards with a new concrete structure. This approach transformed the individual sections of the building into a unified whole, creating a new entrance system on the ground floor. The cross-shaped layout allows efficient movement throughout the building and serves as a subtle reference to the detailing of the façade, originally designed by architect and former Rijksbouwmeester G. Friedhoff, along with Rijksarchitect Hoekstra.

One of the most striking elements of the renovation is the innovative roof design. It is robust yet refined, aligning perfectly with the Ministry’s core identity. The roof’s supporting columns are strategically placed, mimicking the arrangement of trees in a forest, creating a sense of organic flow. The overall construction is based on two levels: a primary structure made from a combination of prefabricated and in-situ concrete, and a secondary grid of composite materials paired with pyramid-shaped skylight domes.