Maaskant Park

As a national monument, the Groot Handelsgebouw is protected. Any alterations must respect the spirit of the original design. On the unique inner street, which was once used by trucks for loading and unloading, Blooming Buildings created the so-called Maaskant Park. Since the inner street spans multiple floors of the building, they couldn’t plant directly in the ground. Instead, they used movable planters. These containers are massive, each weighing over 4000 kg; so they had them specially designed and reinforced to be movable even when fully planted. They assume that, thanks to their aesthetic and future-proof value, they won’t need to be replaced. But if necessary, they can be.

To fully honor the building, Blooming Buildings collaborated with green designer Harry Pierik to delve into the ideas of architects Maaskant and Van Tijen. The planting aligns in both color and form with the architectural choices, and the dimensions of the planters and borders follow the rhythm of the building.

The subtle gray tones in the foliage – such as eucalyptus, willow, and sea buckthorn – harmonize beautifully with the building’s concrete. They used more than 450 different plant species, creating a richly detailed landscape and fostering a healthy biodiversity – something to be enjoyed all year round. As a result, people flock here in large numbers.

Blooming Buildings’ urban gardens are designed to be used by people. In addition to a petanque court, they have placed various chairs and tables, which are eagerly appreciated. This way, the garden of the Groot Handelsgebouw becomes not just a pleasant place to stroll but also a space to work and even hold meetings.

“It feels like Christmas every day”, one of the tenants describes the experience of walking through here and discovering something new each time. Moreover, all this greenery contributes to more oxygen in the air, greater cooling in summer, and reduced waterlogging during heavy rainfall. Naturally, it has a strong appeal to tenants. After all, what company wouldn’t want to be here?