News

Hollandsche Schouwburg, Amsterdam 

Up until 1940, the Hollandsche Schouwburg (Dutch Theater) was a popular venue in the Plantage area of Amsterdam. During World War II, only Jewish musicians and artistes were allowed to perform there for a strictly Jewish audience and its name was changed to Joodsche Schouwburg (Jewish Theater). Soon after, it was used for another purpose. From August 1942, Jews from Amsterdam and the surroundings were collected here for deportation to concentration and extermination camps. Today the Hollandsche Schouwburg is a war memorial and educational center. Its management is investigating the possibility of turning it into the Dutch National Shoa (Holocaust) Museum and a center for reflection, memorial, debate, exhibitions, music, and performance.
The Hollandsche Schouwburg has invited the consortium of Aronsohn engineers, Hypsos design/production, and XPEX to conduct a feasibility study. Process manager Paul Overakker is heading the project team conducting the study.

XPEX/Hypsos win Breskens pitch

Every day in the harbor town of Breskens in Zeeland, fish is ‘mined’ or brought ashore from the sea at the Vismijn (literally, fish ‘mine’ or market). The Vismijn is one of the few places where you can truly experience the fisherman’s life and all aspects of sea produce. Upgrading this unique fish market to a quality tourist attraction, as the Municipality of Breskens is contemplating, is a great opportunity. Hypsos commissioned XPEX to design a concept for the upgrade. Our concept doesn’t just focus on the Vismijn but also includes the Visserijmuseum (Fishery Museum) and adjacent buildings, turning the whole quay into a landmark attraction. We have revised the appearance of the entire area, placing recognizable identifiers that can be seen from far off and forming a chain of attractive components around the basic Vismijn process.
The Hypsos/XPEX combination won the pitch for the project and began Phase 1, further developing the concept and design, in December 2011.

A vision of the future for Enschede Town Hall

Enschede Town Hall, built in 1933, is the masterpiece of the architect, Friedhoff. The hall is a unique example of the ‘Traditional style’, and has become a state monument, not only because of the exceptional value of the architecture, but also because of its interior design and technique. Although Friedhoff’s work has been altered somewhat over time, essentially it is intact and complete; it holds a strong position in the heart of downtown Enschede. Over the years, the monument has seen several modifications. Lacking an overall vision for the future, these alterations have gradually affected the original character and identity of the town hall. Nowadays, the building is not used to its full capacity.
The Mayor and Aldermen of Enschede have invited XPEX to create new concepts and user scenarios to redevelop the building and give it new relevance for society, cultural history, and public administration, all the while respecting its status as a state monument. XPEX is working on this project with process manager Paul Overakker.

Improving management processes at Amsterdam Theater School

The Theater School in Amsterdam, part of the Amsterdam School of the Arts, offers bachelor's and master’s degrees in dance, theater, set design, and stage technicians and production. The Theater School has devised a plan to improve its management processes and change the in house culture. Openness and transparency, insights and overviews should contribute to a better management style and enhance internal communication. The change involves defining, merging and streamlining management processes.XPEX is supporting the Theater School’s endeavor to emprove its operations and, working closely with employees in the organization, is reviewing and, when needed, revising all the existing processes. Preliminary results are due in mid 2012.

Imagine IC Amsterdam is moving house

Imagine Identity and Culture (Imagine IC) is a center for the representation of cultural diversity in Amsterdam Zuidoost (Southeast). At Imagine IC, people share their immigration stories and multicultural experiences. Their stories are the inspiration for visual productions and exhibitions on what's happening in the local neighborhood, the city and the country at large. Imagine IC is moving to a new home. The final destination, following interim housing elsewhere, is a building complex on the Frankemaheerd at the Bijlmerdreef, Amsterdam Zuidoost. The move provides a structural reduction in accommodation costs as well as positive cross-pollination, thanks to the combination with a branch of the Amsterdam Public Library and cooperation with various other parties.
XPEX has been supporting Imagine IC with the preparation and implementation of the double move (interim and final), which takes place in January 2012.

Ajax Experience

Last September Ajax heroes Sjaak Swart, Frank de Boer, Dennis Bergkamp, and Danny Blind opened the Ajax Experience on the Rembrandtplein, Amsterdam. The experience takes you on an interactive journey through the history of Dutch most successful football club, winner of European Cups, World Cups, and 30 national titles. So, how do you become a football hero? Find out at the Ajax Experience, where you can be an active participant and test your technical skills. How fast or agile are you, and how would you lead a young player at the Ajax school along the way to a position on the First football team? Commissioned by Ajax, XPEX advised on developing the experience and took care of the organizational preparations. The Ajax Experience is an exciting destination for the upcoming holidays!

Rijksakademie Amsterdam

The Rijksakademie (National Academy of Fine Arts) in Amsterdam is considering its future in terms of a new business regime and for this purpose has called on the advice of Ernst Veen, the widely admired director and cultural consultant. In turn, Ernst Veen has invited XPEX to help him and the Rijksakademie formulate strategy, develop a business model, and prepare the associated documents. Also involved in this challenging assignment is Chris Groeneveld, since fall a new associate in the XPEX network.

New project management

XPEX welcomes Mariëtte van de Beek, project/office manager as from January 2012. Mariëtte has extensive experience as a project manager in the communications industry and until recently worked as a senior project manager at LaMarque. At XPEX, she is responsible for implementing and managing projects, and customer relations.
At the same time, XPEX says farewell to Bart Blaauw, who joined us in 2009, first as a freelancer and worked later on as a project manager.

XPEX welcomes new associate Chris Groeneveld

Besides the recently begun associations with Paul Overakker and Gwen Rodenburg, XPEX has signed a contract to work with Chris Groeneveld. Chris is a strategy-driven, results-oriented and creative consultant with a passion for culture and projects designed to reach a broad public. He focuses on management and development support for complex business processes, such as mergers, construction plans and the establishment of partnerships. Chris specializes in public programming and the societal returns of museums, archives, and libraries. He is currently developing a vision for the public library sector, has advised the Netherlands Theater Institute on the feasibility of a Theater Museum, and developed the concept for the Erfgoedcentrum Arnhem (Heritage Center). In addition, he was director of Anno, the Dutch history promotions agency and forerunner of the National History Museum.
XPEX is making grateful use of his experience as interim manager, process manager, and consultant. The first joint project is for the Rijksakademie, Amsterdam.

For the dark days...

Looking for something to do in the dark days of the holiday season? Visit the Ajax Experience at Rembrandtplein in Amsterdam, and experience for yourself how football heroes are born!

The partners and employees of XPEX wish you a Merry Christmas and a pleasant 2012!