ABSTRACT
The head office of the NMB bank just outside Amsterdam has received wide acclaim architecturally, technologically, and as a humane environment. The building results from an innovative design process that teamed the architect with the engineers, landscape architect, acoustician, and client representative under the direction of the developer. A detailed program was used to guide the team, based on the bank's image, goals, and organization of work aspirations for the new building. The building houses some 2,500 bank employees and has injected new life into a formerly depressed suburb of Amsterdam. The building now accommodates more workers than it was designed for, and this places some pressure on the interior office space. The non-work areas of the building are elegantly designed and beautifully finished, and are shown to nearly 75,000 visitors a year. The building is considered a model of energy-efficient design, and has successfully implemented technological innovations that are being emulated all over Europe.
