Depot Maritime Museum, Amsterdam

A building that houses part of a museum collection has an air of secrecy. Valuable objects are protected from light and exposure to the atmosphere, in an environment where temperature and humidity are constantly monitored. The fact that the Netherlands Maritime Museum's storage depot stands alongside the naval complex in Amsterdam only serves to increase the secrecy. The site is under tight security and hidden behind a monumental wall. The 90m long depot is built right next to the wall and its three titanium humps protrude high above it. The building was constructed according to a so-called box within a box method. The inner box is a functional concrete block with two floors containing the various depots. This is surrounded by a freestanding, steel construction that encloses all the fittings, wiring, pipes and cables. This steel follows the form of the piping and is completely encased in titanium, a very high-grade coating material.


Architect: Liesbeth van der Pol
Team: A. Mashiach, J.J. Roeten, G. van Beers
Number: 9703
Status: Built
Year: 1997 - 2003
Client: Rijksgebouwendienst Noord-West, Haarlem

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