Case Study
Transpolis
New entrant to the office market
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You can only make one first impression
You can only make one first impression on a new tenant. That’s why CAIRN Real Estate enlisted CBRE’s design and project management teams to give Transpolis a new look. The multi-tenant building in Hoofddorp was given a more contemporary entryway, including an eye-catching ‘green carpet’ in front of the door. That’s good for both the asset’s value and tenant satisfaction.
Rewind from the '90's' to the '20's'
Transpolis did not project the image of an international business centre, despite being situated a mere stone’s throw from Schiphol. The building was completed in the 90’s and looked dated inside and out. For instance, the ground floor was split up into lots of little rooms and an outdoor ‘smoker’s shelter’, like those found in an airport, blocked the view of the entrance. The time had come for an overhaul.The datedness was also noted by Eppo Danser, Director of Leasing & Asset Management at CAIRN, who was involved in the project on behalf of its owner, Aventicum Capital. “When we bought Transpolis, we immediately reserved a development budget”, said Danser. “We wanted to give the building a new interior and bring it into the 21st century. We wrote a pitch for its precise realisation. CBRE won the pitch, with a strong creative concept and painstaking cost estimate”.
First impressions count
There were three 'pain points' that were central to CBRE's design plans–the entryway, lobby and the outside area in front of the front door; precisely those parts of the building that determine its façade. And the parts that can immediately give a whole new look to the building once they’re modernised.“You want visitors and tenants to think ‘this seems like a nice place to be’ before they enter the building”, said Danser. “That was certainly not the case with the way it used to look. The lobby looked a bit like a charity shop, with an interior that wasn't properly aligned. There were all sorts of loose corners and spaces that had been created, which made the entire ground floor feel dark and cramped. That was a shame, because it distorted the image of the rest of the building. Because most offices actually were furnished in a contemporary way.”
We first determined the scope together and explored various avenues for development. In doing so, we came to the same conclusion: the lobby had to be opened up.
Light and space
CAIRN and CBRE’s designers quickly arrived at the same conclusion. "The lobby had to be opened up”, said Danser. “That meant getting rid of all the little rooms! One of the unique features of Transpolis is that the rear windows overlook the water, but you could not appreciate it because of all the obstacles in the lobby. Now that it has been opened up, this unique view really shines through.”
CBRE also laid out an outdoor space concept, so that a 'green carpet' came all the way to the entrance.
Looking outward
CBRE also laid out an outdoor space concept. “The outdoor has appealing plants, walkways and benches, which created a ‘green carpet’ all the way to the entrance. That was an improvement on the old situation, which only had grass and asphalt to the door. The new concept means that the outdoor space flows seamlessly into the interior”.No implementation concerns
CBRE got to work as soon as the design concept was signed-off. The CBRE Development Services team provided managerial oversight for all parties involved. “That's exactly how we like to work at CAIRN”, said Danser. “We are involved in concept development strategically, but we prefer to leave the implementation to the experts. We know that CBRE has those experts in-house as they are a large organisation. CBRE also has a very good handle on the details: reports, forecasts and process management are solidly worked out, which makes working with them a very pleasant experience. As a result, we could let go of the process and turn our focus to other things”.At CAIRN we think strategically about the concept, but we prefer to leave the implementation to experts. We know that CBRE has them in-house.
A new start for Transpolis
The upgrades were ready in 2019. The tenants in Transpolis responded enthusiastically, explained Danser. “They had been promised improvements in the past, but this time they were really delivered.” The tenants really appreciated this. “Transpolis is also a more attractive location to new tenants now. Many of our tenants have a close relationship with Schiphol. Thanks to the new and improved entryway, the building now has the international appearance to match those ties”.Related Services
Design and commission all aspects of your building, including systems, envelope and structure using the latest facilities best practices.
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