The city of Den Helder decided to realize a new cityhall at Willemsoord Den Helder. Buildings 66 en 72 have been empty for years. By moving the new cityhall to the former shipyard of the navy, Den Helder preserves and emphasizes it’s heritage.
Building 72, the former sail manufacturer from 1949, is a recognizable beacon amid the nautical activities on the shipyard. Recognizable at the characteristic concrete shell. The composition of the facades will be replaced with a transparent façade. The other building, nummer 66 is a mast shed from 1826. A national monument, built in a sober neoclassical style, covered with a wooden roof with huge eye-catching beams. This building will contain the public counters, the council chamber, a wedding hall and a meeting place in the center.
Beersnielsen has been asked to create a lighting design for buildings 66 and 72 and their surroundings. Two totally different buildings, of which one is a national monument. One of the challenges in the lighting design is to create a unity between the two buildings. Each building has it’s own atmosphere and identity.
The lighting design supports the routing, creates atmosphere and lights out the rawness of the concrete, but with a warm accent. It also emphasizes the nautical and maritime character, but with refinement in the details, such as those beautiful beams in building 66. This huge space will feel warmer because of pendant luminaires which will illuminate both the beams at the ceiling and the floor.
Not only the two buildings are part of our assignment, but also the surroundings of the buildings and the artwork at the parking place. Key and challenge in the outdoor lighting design is to reuse the huge light poles at the parking place. We did a test on location during a long summer night and had some good and interesting results. At the moment we are processing those results in the lighting design.