Projetos Urbanos

The Droste chocolate factory in Haarlem is an icon of industrial architecture in Haarlem. The complex, founded in 1897 along the Spaarne waterway, was expanded with a new machine building in armed concrete and brick facades in 1911 and with a sober silo building in 1961. In the facade of the main building, the warehouse, a ceramic wall panel was mounted, showing the famous nurse of the Droste commercials.

In 1986 the production of the Droste company moved to Vaassen, in the east of the country. The building was sold to the Dutch Cacao & Chocolate Company, which soon left the historical building as well. Photographer Henny Reumerman captured unique images of the rundown Droste factory while it was empty.

After years of abandonment and attempts to squat the building, the complex was sold to developer DMV, who planned the construction of 220 apartments on the site, realized in 2008. Architects Braaksma & Roos were responsible for the renovation of the warehouse, Max van Aerschot for the silo. The remaining space on the site contains new housing blocks, designed by FARO and A+1 architects.

View Droste Haarlem in a larger map

The entry by Merten Nefs and Vanessa Grossman was included in the publication of the international ideas competition for a new architecture faculty in Delft. The project ‘Educational Landscape’ can be found on page 11 of the book, published by the Delft University of Technology – Faculty of Architecture, which has been sent to all alumni and students.

Read more:
www.projetosurbanos.com.br/2009/03/16/building-for-bouwkunde/