PROJECT STORY
The challenge
Rijksmuseum cannot keep up with growth
Rijksmuseum opens its doors again after ten-year renovation
Arcadis advised on the construction project
The challenge
The Rijksmuseum is one of the most important 19th century monuments in the Netherlands. In order to accommodate the increasing flow of visitors from the Netherlands and abroad, a large-scale renovation project was started in 2003. Arcadis played an important advisory role throughout the work.
The solution
After ten years of renovation and restoration, the opening ceremony for the new Rijksmuseum was held in 2013. The event marked the end of an intensive process in which Arcadis provided advice on the new construction. The cultural value of the building played a major role in the project because the Rijksmuseum wanted to honor the original concept by architect Dr. P.J.H. Cuypers as far as possible. Nevertheless, the plans by Spanish architect duo, Cruz y Ortiz, included some radical changes to the construction of the existing building.
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The most spectacular change was realized in the connecting space between the east and west wings of the museum. This connection created a large underground square that acts as a central entrance. The new building also has a new 3,000 m² public space with an auditorium, created by adding basement levels up to six meters below ground. To realize these plans, major work was undertaken beneath and in the foundations of the monumental building.
There's a song about Amsterdam that calls it 'the old city, built on poles', and that’s correct. The Rijksmuseum rests on 8000 heavy-duty wooden poles. To construct the basements, we had to deconstruct not only the buildings, but also all the poles that were supporting them."
The impact
In the space of ten years, the Rijksmuseum has been transformed into a beautiful, transparent building that breathes new life into Cuypers' original architectural concept. The Rijksmuseum has cemented its long-standing reputation as an internationally leading museum where millions of people enjoy breathtaking art treasures every year. Not only does the museum reap the benefits of this rigorous refurbishment, but the entire tourism sector of our capital benefits from the increased appeal of this iconic location. Thanks in part to the use of new materials and advanced construction technology, the Rijksmuseum now also uses 40% less energy.
