Formerly a Historic Bank, This Amsterdam Hotel Honors its Stately Roots
The Office Winhov website offers this missive around how the practice thinks about architecture and its role in civic spaces:
Buildings are more than singular objects; they are part of the urban environment they shape–Like a street, a district, a community. Buildings accommodate the people who use them intensively.
A striking example of this is their transformation of a national monument in Amsterdam from a working bank to a five-star hotel and creative incubator.
A History
The building was originally designed by F.W.M. Poggenbeek in 1908 and was expanded in phases until 1932. The layout follows what would be expected for a bank with vaults on the ground floor and basement, a monumental bank hall on the first floor, and office space located on the upper floors.
An aerial view of the bank before an expansion in 1927.
The large central bank hall circa 1932.
A window into how the bank vaults were historically occupied and used.
The historic Kas Bank building is one of the first concrete constructions in the Netherlands and is finished with a sandstone façade.
A rendering of the Kas Bank façade alongside adjacent neighborhood buildings.
The Transformation
When undertaking the redesign, Office Winhov wanted to respect the historic bank’s character while giving it the necessary enhancements to transform it into a public building.
The renovated Bank building houses a spa, bar, and restaurant in addition to the creative incubator along the Spuistraat side of the building, a space that allows Dutch creatives to showcase their fashion, art, and design work. The upper floors of the renovated building house 66 guest rooms and suites that serve as an extension to the W Hotel that is located across the street in the former Government Office for Transactions and Telephony—now known as the Exchange building.
A glass bridge traverses the atrium.
The Duchess is a restaurant, tearoom, and bar in the former main hall.
A light-flooded view into the main historic bank hall from the second floor.
A long view down the corridor of the second floor.
A close-up detail showcases intricate ironwork on the building’s main staircase.
The entrance to X Bank showcases modern works of Dutch art and design which contrast the concrete exterior.
Walking through the bank’s old vaults reveals the way visitors can access the spa.
A view of the modern interior of the bank’s hotel rooms.
The historic vault from 1908 resides on the lower floor.
An exterior view highlight’s the hotel’s façade and how the building seamlessly fits in the surrounding neighborhood.
The Exchange and the Bank buildings at the W Hotel in Amsterdam offer a pampered experience with a dose of modern style. To learn more or book a stay, click here.
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