Kraaijvanger Architects
Blaak 40
3011 TA Rotterdam
The Netherlands
The Benelux headquarters of ExxonMobil, with mainly service and staff departments, is located in Breda. In 1987, Esso Nederland, Esso Belgium and Esso Luxemburg were merged into one Benelux organization. Breda was chosen as the location of the new head office: in the middle between The Hague and Antwerp, where the former head offices of the two companies were located.
Architectural gesture
The design for the Esso Benelux head office is a grand architectural gesture, with which architect Rob Ligtvoet of Kraaijvanger wanted to give the building a signal function. It stands and you cannot ignore the suggested allure. This makes the building a monument of 'corporate architecture', the kind of American corporate architecture in which image is central.
In addition to the three-part building with two office wings and a connecting atrium, the building is particularly striking for the stepped way it rises from the landscape, creating large terraces, and for the special curtain walls that consist of Greek Thassos marble and smooth aluminum windows. The high-tech facades contrast with the rugged, unformed surrounding nature. This combination of respect and contrast, added to the classical marble, makes this building par excellence classic.
Tailor-made work and stay at Bond Park
In 2014, the Esso building in Breda was sold to Bond Park, which in 2015 transformed it into an office complex. Bond Park Breda is a unique concept for customized work and stay in an inspiring environment. From a flex desk to a fully furnished office, from renting meeting rooms to having lunch in the on-site restaurant. There are now a few dozen companies, both small and large (including Esso itself and pharmaceutical company Janssen). In total, more than six hundred people work there.