New “coworking” space in the place of an old school in Amsterdam

The new office space “Ru Paré” in Amsterdam is located in a beautiful, bright and spacious room at the site of an old school in the city. Thanks to the facade constructed of glass, with vertical windows that open and allow the interior to  open up on warm days, the space enjoys natural daylight and a relaxing setting.

The project was created by the Dutch studio BETA, which renovated the space of the old school into an office space for joint work for small businesses. The great space on the ground floor of the old gym which opens to the exterior with thanks to the windows is used as an open working area with dozens of desks where customers can work individually or collaborate with others. The desks are in retro style and together with the chairs they look like old school desks and chairs. Besides the working area, the ground floor houses an open kitchen, and a small part designed as a living room with a comfortable sofa for relaxed business or rest from work.

The whole renovation of the area is part of a larger project to revitalize the entire neighborhood Slotervart in Amsterdam. The old school is now center for small businesses and startups that don’t need or don’t have their own offices and want to work in common premises, which offer space for easier cooperation with partners and customers. Apart from the large common office on the ground floor, the business center features private offices on the other floors, located in the old classrooms and designed simply, without too much décor.

The space is dominated mainly by industrial atmosphere and it’s laid out simply, without too much decor and detail. A pleasant moment is the greenery of the interior, which brings freshness in the joint office space. The project is a great example how with minimal intervention and simple decor a building be altered in order to meet the needs of the local community without having to be demolished.

(Photo Credits: Marc Faasse)