Who are you and where do you get your energy from in your work?
My name is Tom and I work for Re-Group. Among other things, I manage RKM Offices in the Plantage district, a creative start-up with around twenty people. Because we are a smaller organization, there is a lot of room for freedom in the work you do, and creativity is truly valued here.
Commercial real estate is usually a rather formal industry, but we explore how we can redevelop real estate in a modern way that genuinely benefits our tenants. We have a coffee bar, sports activities, co-working spaces, workshops—you name it. That makes my work playful, human and varied. It’s wonderful to see how guests and tenants truly enjoy what we create together.
What do local residents not yet know about you, but should they?
Many people recognize the building from the outside, but they don’t really know what is inside or the history of this national monument. It used to be the Dutch Army’s clothing storage facility, the Rijkskledijmagazijn—this is also where the name RKM Offices comes from.
We find it important to share this history and to keep the building open. It is not a closed office: there is a café, you can simply come in to work or have a coffee with a neighbour. You can always make an appointment via our reception desk for a guided tour. When spaces here are temporarily vacant, we are open to exploring how we can make them available for the neighbourhood. On our website you can find all our events and the different possibilities for renting or working here. Our spaces are also suitable for meetings and social gatherings.
What is your hidden gem in the Plantage neighbourhood?
That would be Dignita Hoftuin, behind H’ART Museum. A green, peaceful place right in the middle of the city. In summer it’s a wonderful spot to sit: sheltered, intimate, yet still very much in the city. I also really like Gollem by the water—a great spot with lots of special beers. You sit at the Entrepotdok by the water and hear the animals from ARTIS in the background.
Who would you like to meet there?
I originally come from Maastricht, and recently my colleagues and I discovered a great account called “Ommetje met Tom”. He is a born and bred Amsterdammer who shares the most beautiful stories about the city. There is so much to discover and do here in the Plantage, and I’m falling more in love with this neighbourhood every day—so I’d love to see what hidden places he could show me.
You received a question from the previous interviewee (Maud from H’ART Museum):
“You create beautiful workplaces in the heart of the city – how do you make sure that people really feel at home in an office, just like we try to do at H’ART Museum?”
We truly focus on bringing all our tenants together as a community. How can a building offer more than just a workplace? We have a building manager and a hospitality team, we organize sports activities, workshops and, for example, training sessions on working with AI. You can have coffee here, have lunch, chat together. We see beautiful encounters happen, and sometimes even new collaborations emerge. I really love that.
Who do you pass the baton to, and with what question?
I pass the baton to Huis van de Tijd.
My question to them is:
“What is the most beautiful memory you have experienced with your participants in the Plantage neighbourhood?”