The transformation of the former post office in Venlo into Museum van Bommel van Dam is in full swing. Meanwhile, the demolition phase has been completed and the project will now enter into the construction phase.

In 2021, the new Museum van Bommel van Dam will move to a wing of the monumental post office in Venlo, designed by the Dutch chief government architect Hayo Hoekstra. BiermanHenket designed the conversion, during which the post office, that was built in 1938, will be renovated and made sustainable. In the demolition and stripping phases, all suspended ceilings were removed to reveal the monumental interior frames again. "Not only do we want to make the monumental elements speak by giving them more visibility, we also restore the quality and the architectural character of the facades where necessary. For example, we restore the original division in window frames on the first floor, where the steel window frames have been replaced by plastic frames in the past. During this earlier intervention, a large part of the windows had also been sealed: here, transparent glass will be applied in accordance with the original image as well. As a result, the spaces behind this facade, the future museum rooms, will be bathing in natural daylight again. Four parapets were removed on the ground floor. Here, patio doors will be integrated into the monumental detailing. This will result in a clear view and daylight on the ground floor," project architect and partner Yvonne Segers-van Wilderen explains.

The intermediate section, built in the 1980s, has been taken down completely, making place for a new entry at the park side with a contrasting appearance. A glass plinth offers a transparent connection between the public space and the museum. Moreover, this park entry enables a freely accessible passage to the entry at the city side: more than half of the building will be accessible to the public. A roof terrace with a view of the city will be created on top of the park entry. The monumental old building will also offer a panoramic view of the city. Where the roof was not used in the past, this space will be included in the design of the museum and be a part of the public route. A new art window in this roof will become an eye-catcher and a viewpoint. "In the next few weeks, we will make test setups of the park facade and the cladding of the art window, among other things," project manager Jorg de Bie says. "This will enable us to assess and refine the last details of the fitting, as well as the colour, on site. In addition, the recess in the roof for the art window has been cut out, and a start was made with the construction of the sustainable demountable wood structure."