New building Holland Casino Venlo:

Iconic building as gateway to Holland

Holland Casino is finally getting a foothold in Venlo. On the Floralaan, near the junction of the A67 and A73, a sculptural and sustainable building is being realized. It should be ready by the end of this year. The design comes from MVSA Architects.

Holland Casino has been located in Venlo since 2006, in the Trade Port West business park. The building of a former carpet store served as a temporary location; the intention was that Holland Casino would move to the city center after a few years. However, a line went through those plans. New construction on the former barracks site also fell through. Eventually it was decided to construct a new building on Floralaan, a high-profile location in the Trade Port Oost business park.

Visibility and appearance

The design of the building was tailored accordingly, says Wouter Thijssen of MVSA Architects, director and architect of this project. "The visibility of the location and thus the appearance of the building was a crucial aspect. Its location near the border makes German visitors an important target group. The building must therefore act as a gateway to the Netherlands. We chose an organic design combined with a striking interactive facade. The flower-shaped architecture is on the one hand a reference to the Floriade held in 2012 just down the road and on the other hand a link to the floral tradition of the Netherlands."

The facade features LED lighting and will certainly look spectacular at night. "Each season the LED facade will have a different look. In addition, it will display events taking place at Holland Casino." He points to the smaller metal and glass chips attached to the facade, which create a chameleonic effect. "When people drive past them, the facade changes color."

Functional and beautiful

Thijssen says that before his firm started work on the design, an interior concept was already ready from Las Vegas-based interior designer Gensler. "In it, a number of themes are central. We developed the concept in close collaboration with Gensler. It thus forms the basis around which the building is designed." The interior, he says, ensures that the visitor is naturally guided through the casino. "Functionality and beautiful design are combined in a thoughtful way."

According to Thijssen, in addition to an eye-catching design, much attention has also been paid to sustainability. From the idea of a total concept that fits both the ambitions of Holland Casino and the municipality of Venlo, as Cradle-to-Cradle capital of the Netherlands. "This is reflected in the installations, but also, for example, in the materials used such as sustainable wood and recycled concrete."

Finally, Thijssen says that finishing work has recently begun. MVSA Architects is still closely involved in the project. "Among other things, to fine-tune things. We have consultations with main contractor Laudy at least once a month. The expectation is that delivery can be made by the end of the year."