gemeente-gouda-renewal-gouda-city-hall

A society of individuals

Municipality of Gouda, Gouda (NL), 2022

For 750 years, the people of Gouda have lived together by listening to each other. The old town hall can still be the prime place where they do that. This building at the heart of town is the perfect spot for people to come together, inspire each other, and celebrate.

All are welcome

Following the departure of its previous owner, Gouda’s iconic town hall became available for renovation. At the heart of the town, the striking building exuded promise. Municipal officials wanted to give it a new purpose that would make good on that promise – to turn it into a place where all the town’s residents could meet, inspire each other, and celebrate. A wide range of people, from Dutch and foreign tourists to school groups and Gouda’s staunchest individualists, should feel welcome there.

Audite et alteram partem

After a pressure cooker session, we developed the concept “A society of individuals”. It emphasises the town hall’s three functions: hosting celebrations, providing cultural inspiration, and facilitating encounters. The spirit of the concept comes from the motto above the building’s entrance: “Audite et alteram partem” (“Listen to the other side”). This principle is and always will be the key to a functioning society. Because really listening to each other is the key to living together.

A place to listen

We translated the concept into concrete ideas for the building, all of which emphasise listening and living together. On the theme of inspiration, the Gouda Listening Trail lets visitors hear the story of the town. On the theme of celebration, Listen to Your Heart: Celebrate Love lets them hear the vows of marrying couples. To facilitate meeting, we designed the food and drink areas as places where people will naturally encounter – and listen to – each other. The building can also provide space for organisations working for the good of the community. All these functions come together in the town hall – Gouda’s premier place for people to listen to each other and their town, and every resident can feel at home.

Credits

Client
Gemeente Gouda

Content design
Studio Louter