The former main building of the Chassé barracks, with its monumental classic facade, forms the basis of the design for the accommodation of Breda’s Museum and City Archives. This clustering of cultural-historical heritage results in a synergetic model in which various users function side by side. The exterior of the building has retained its character as a vital element in the town centre. The challenge in this design is not so much to design a building with a face all its own, but to create an architectural framework based on a clear-cut logistic plan and a sophisticated route. Confronting the old exterior with the new interior is one of the key aspects in the plan. At the location of the main entrance, the impression of the monumental and militarist character of the main building is parried by a modest and carefully designed architecture, in which spaciousness and functionality are the key elements. A one-hundred meter long corridor brings all users together developing various possibilities for use. A square on top of the depot basement in the central courtyard can be used for various museum purposes.
