After a long wait and the necessary setbacks along the way, the Forum Groningen opened in the heart of the Grote Markt. An impressive, unique volume that understands the art of fitting in and gives the direct surroundings a new impetus. Inside, a central atrium connects six floors with open spaces and squares, with a panoramic roof the Hoge Markt as highlight. Forum Groningen is a cultural warehouse full of books, exhibition spaces, cinemas and restaurants that blurs the traditional boundaries between cultural functions and with a focus on meeting and connecting. Information is provided thematically in the Forum and transcends the various mediums. The building is a kind of life-sized search engine, designed for endless browsing; you will find more than you were looking for.

Groningen city municipality shows how entrepreneurship can and should continue developing over time. This demands great courage, dedication and mutual trust; in this case with an enormously synergetic effect. Creativity has been used to unite the many objectives and functions, so that the outcome is not a grey compromise, but rather a powerful and characteristic statement. This could only have been made possible with a well-thought-out process, and with so many stakeholders on board it is nothing short of very clever. In the collaboration with NL Architects, among others, Groningen city municipality has cleverly integrated a new icon into the historic context of its city. The Forum is a reason to visit Groningen.