The distinctive brickwork of the new domicile for the Delft City Archives takes its motif from a bookshelf, and thus the architectural scheme is clearly manifested in the facade.
The city archives's former premises were from the 1950s and were no longer big enough to house the collection. At the same time, the old building lacked a number of technical necessities.
In addition to Delft’s historical archives, is also a café, a publicly accessible reading room and offices for archive employees. These publicly oriented facilities are placed at ground level, which helps to highlight the city archives’ public function and significance. The rich relief in the facade connects the building to the elaborated tradition of brick buildings in Delft. The archives are placed on the other floors, where the collection is protected against water damage in the event of a storm surge or torrential rain.
The building is situated at the periphery of the business district in Harnaschpolder and looks out over its closest neighbour, the canal, as well as the park and old city quarter on the opposite bank. Space has been set aside for future enlargement in the gardens behind the archive building.
The project is a collaboration between Gottlieb Paludan Architects and Dutch architects Office Winhov.
