PHOTO: The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in a New Attire for New Diplomacy

The Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ellen Berends, and the Secretary General at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Loreta Bertoša Kušen, today opened the newly arranged space of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands at a new address, on the second floor of the Ban Center at 6 Augusta Cesarca Street, or European Square in Zagreb. As Ambassador Berends stated, it has just been 25 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Republic of Croatia, and the embassy has moved to the new space from its location in Ksaver, where it operated for 21 years.

>>>VIDEO: Utrecht is getting a garage for 12,500 bicycles

– The new embassy office enables a new diplomacy and represents a modern Netherlands, which is evident from the choice of a building that is new and modern and located in the very center of Zagreb. The appearance of the new office is based on the concept of the so-called New Way of Working, which means it is open-type, functional, flexible, and logical. Given that the Netherlands has much to showcase on the topic of design, Dutch designer furniture and lighting were used in the office setup, contributing to the Dutch identity. Artifacts and small items from Dutch designers and artists are presented in special niches within the office furniture, said Ambassador Berends.

Welcoming Interior

The office interior, which spans an area of about 300 square meters, is welcoming, transparent in both a literal and figurative sense, and representative without extravagance. In addition, the choice of colors, materials, and lighting contributes to a pleasant working atmosphere, and the design of the flooring reflects the Dutch landscape visible when landing in the Netherlands.

>>>The Netherlands is by far the largest global channel to tax havens

Ambassador Berends particularly emphasized that Dutch designers, in collaboration with Croatian partners and contractors, paid special attention to energy efficiency, so it can be said that the staff of the Dutch embassy will work and receive their clients in a ‘green’ office with a low level of energy consumption.

In the new space in the Ban Center, the new Dutch embassy has the Embassy of the Swiss Confederation and the European Commission representation as neighbors.