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.

The historic Kas Bank building is one of the first concrete constructions in the Netherlands and is finished with a sandstone façade.

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.

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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W Amsterdam