County Hall Zeeland - the Netherlands
Middelburg, December 2002
In the County Hall in Middelburg, dating back to the twelfth century, M+R designed a new staff restaurant. The restaurant is located in one of the oldest parts of the building. During the conversion the monumental interior was completely restored to its original state. Historical elements such as the secondary and tertiary beams, the stained-glass windows, the hearth, the details in stone and the original tiling, were all restored and cleaned. The interior was stripped of any later additions, so that the space was once again open and uncluttered, exactly as the historic structure had once been. The layout is flexible, so that the original area is always visible, yet it is easy to change for other functions. Facilities such as the rinse and food preparation kitchen have been placed as loose elements. Included in the design are the new cloakrooms. In the basement there is the mechanics area, with storage space and staff wash and changing rooms.
