Mecanoo: Keukenhof

Mecanoo designed an elegant gatehouse to welcome the large flows of visitors to the gardens. A timber roof leans on two volumes, forming an impressive gateway to the park. The stepped roof structure of interwoven isosceles triangles provides shelter, whilst creating an ever-changing play of light and shadow. The gatehouse is the transition between the outside world and the world of Keukenhof and all its flowers.

  The integral design for the entrance area includes two plazas. A forecourt with wedge-shaped planters leads visitors from the main car park to the entrance. The gatehouse houses public functions such as cash registers, an information desk and retail. Skylights in the roof create a spacious and light atmosphere in the restaurant. The office spaces on the first floor, used year-round, offer extending views over the park.

The use of natural materials – wood, copper and brick, lends character to the building without being a distraction from its environment. On a beautiful spring day, the glazed facade can be opened almost entirely, blending the interior with the exterior. Ponds with fountains provide a suitable ambiance for a pleasant day out and sitting on the spacious terraces, visitors are treated to views over the largest tulip field inside the “most beautiful spring garden in the world”.

Keukenhof, Lisse, the Netherlands
Program: mixed-use
Architect: Mecanoo architecten
Project management: Frans de Brabander
Structural engineer: IMD bv
Mechanical and electrical engineer: DWA
Contractor: Van Wijnen
Area: 3,200 sqm
Completion: 2016