Laurin Toussaint

Designed and built between 1968 and 1972 by Herman Hertzberger, the Centraal Beheer building in Apeldoorn is a key work of structuralism. Its modular design embodies an open, adaptable workspace. Defined by raw concrete and steel, it reflects a robust yet flexible architecture. Vacant since 2013, its future remains uncertain amid ongoing debates on demolition and reuse. In collaboration with Leon van Ouwerkerk’s work this study explores its spatial and structural principles, examining strategies for sustainable transformation. Rather than ongoing decay, it seeks solutions that preserve the building’s integrity while adapting it to contemporary needs.

This design repurposes the Centraal Beheer building for residential use, preserving its open structure while introducing apartments, communal spaces, and co-working areas. Existing visual connections between the towers continue to encourage social interaction, while targeted subtractions deepen the entrance corridors to optimize natural light in the living spaces. Internal zoning creates three residential quadrants with staggered towers accessed by decentralized staircases, and communal and flexible-use areas allow residents to shape their environment. The façade is supplemented so that each unit functions as a “house within a house” with its own thermal envelope. Areas near the ground floor accommodate offices, a restaurant, and a connection to a new park, which replaces the former car park and integrates the building into the urban context.

The approach remains restrained, relying on subtle spatial adjustments such as strategic cutbacks and layered facades to improve light, comfort, and privacy. The raw materiality of the building is maintained, while thermal performance and urban integration are enhanced through interior built-in elements, landscape interventions and public programs.

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