Maintenance of the Prison Gate and Museum House Doorn

Maintain and make sustainable

The two buildings share stories from our history. In order to continue telling them, structural maintenance is necessary. Monumentenbezit therefore advises on the strategic management of the monuments and coordinates the multi-year maintenance. We draw up a maintenance vision and plan for each monument. For the interior, we work together with other parties. For example, bureau STIEL does the interior for the main building of Huis Doorn. Of course, we coordinate which maintenance activities can be combined.

We look at the long term and consider what strategically good choices are for management and maintenance. Efficient and effective, those are our pillars. In doing so, we take into account the fact that this monument is available to people and society, which is why it is essential that you plan and execute the maintenance in a proper manner. We also look at the challenge of our time: making monumental buildings more sustainable. In that area too, we are experienced in finding the right applications for every location.

Making a plan

Menno Tillema, heritage specialist, has started working here for Monumentenbezit. He talks about the assignments: “Where maintenance used to be done by the Central Government Real Estate Agency, museums are now doing the work themselves – with a budget from the government. The tricky thing is that museums often do not have the expertise or manpower. That is why they contacted Monumentenbezit, who then called me in. In a few months, we will have drawn up a multi-year maintenance plan for each monument. That will give us a good idea of what is needed when and what has priority. We work with various parties on the restoration and sustainability work per location. The plans are coordinated in consultation with them. In the meantime, we are already issuing assignments for regular maintenance, such as painting.”

Trainee program

Carrying out the maintenance will be part of the architectural trainee program of Monumentenbezit. As a trainee, you will build your own network, through us but also with our fellow organizations. Trainees will work in the most beautiful places. We have a diverse portfolio, with several top-100 monuments. For example, they can get started on the restoration of Kasteel Slangenburg or Buitenplaats Trompenburgh. Given our international network and collaboration with Stichting Cocari II on Bonaire and Stichting Monumentenzorg Curaçao, it is also possible to work on projects partly on the Caribbean islands.