© KLM Aerocarto
The Tomadohuis in Dordrecht was designed by Hugh Maaskant for Tomado, a Dutch manufacturer of household products. The building was opened in 1962 and became one of Maaskant’s most recognisable works outside Rotterdam.
The building was conceived as the company’s headquarters and was designed to communicate Tomado’s modern and progressive identity. Its most striking feature is the structural system: the main volume is elevated above the ground on two large disc-shaped concrete supports, leaving the lower levels remarkably open.
This structural concept gives the building a floating appearance and creates a strong relationship between structure and architectural expression. Maaskant used the structural system not only as a technical solution but also as the defining visual element of the building.
The interior originally contained offices, reception areas and representative spaces. An architectural artwork was incorporated into the façade, reinforcing the relationship between architecture and art that can be found throughout Maaskant’s work.
The Tomadohuis was later transformed into a residential building containing 56 loft apartments. The conversion demonstrates the flexibility of Maaskant’s structural concept and the ability of post-war office architecture to accommodate entirely new uses.
The building remains one of Dordrecht’s most recognisable examples of post-war modernism.
