Rijksgebouwendienst, the Dutch Government Buildings Agency (RGD), has launched the competitive dialogue stage to develop on a design, build, finance and maintenance basis the Utrecht Button Barracks in Holland.

Three consortia are involved in the competitive dialogue:

• Heijmans Knoop: Heijmans, Dam & Partners Architecten and Twijnstra Gudde zitten;
• Castelein: Züblin Sodexo, PMF Infrastructure Fund and BBC Bouwmanagement; and
• Strukton de Knoop formed by: Facilicom, Rijnboutt and Fokkema & Partners Architecten.

The object of the project is to develop the building into a modern state office where from 2017 on various government departments will be located.

The building, which currently has 20,850 m2 will be redeveloped and expanded to a total of approximately 30,000 m2. The building will also include 200 parking spaces for cars and 500 bicycle spaces.

On January 15, 2014 eight consortia have signed up to participate in the PPP project. The signature of the contract is expected in June 2015.

The Government Buildings Agency is part of the Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations. Its task is to manage and develop the state's largest property portfolio. All in all this involves 7 million m² of floor space, 70% of which is owned by the Agency. Of the 2,000 properties that make up the stock, some 350 - representing 1 million m² - have monument status.

Yesterday, we published that the RGD and the Facilicom Consortium PPS B30 have signed the contract for the Bezuidenhoutseweg 30 project in The Hague.

The Facilicom PPS B30 Consortium, which was announced as preferred bidder in March 2014,  is made up of Facilicom, KAAN Architecten, Braaksma & Roos Architectenbureau, Deerns, Pieters Bouwtechniek and Rebel Group.