Community Center Bladel

inside outside, downstairs upstairs, in one spatial concept

GROUP A, in cooperation with ABT and Fabrique, was selected by the municipality of Bladel and Den Herd to design the renovation and redevelopment of the former Rabobank building on the Markt. At this central location, the new community centre for Den Herd will have a mix of functions and facilities. The design vision was chosen by the Mayor and Aldermen after a selection procedure in two rounds.

Crucial to the plan for Gemeenschapshuis Bladel is the ‘connector’: a public route and spatial experience that stimulates the internal and external connection to the Market. ‘Users and visitors meet each other in the ‘connector’, this contributes to meeting, interaction, dynamics, social security and a strong collective feeling; characteristics of a successful urban meeting point’ (from the design vision).

In the design vision, the ‘opening’ of the plinth creates a logical connection to the Mark and the city centre, where the public and open atmosphere continues vertically into the building. The new, striking facade marks the entrance and serves as a landmark for the new Den Herd 3.0. This facade opens up to the Markt like a shop window; residents and visitors of Bladel can see what’s going on inside.

In the coming period, the design vision will be refined, together with the municipality and the users of Den Herd, the senior citizens’ association Bladel and daycare centre De Goei Plak, into a definitive programme of demands. This will be followed by consultation with other – potential – users who may be of value to the community house function. The municipality and Den Herd hope to have completed the design process before the summer of 2021, after which the construction can be put out to tender. The start of the renovation is planned before the end of 2022.

Read more about this project in the blogs on the Gemeenschapshuis Bladel.