Architect Frits van Dongen recently completed apartment building The Whale in Amsterdam's Eastern Docklands. The ground floor is zoned for offices, one of which is occupied by housing corporation De Key, the result of a merger of three organizations. The brief was for an office interior for the board of three directors.

The spaces are of limited height, elongated and rather dark. Maximum light is ensured by eliminating all obstacles in the transverse direction and painting walls in a light color. The total length of the office is surveyable to facilitate orientation. Partitions between office spaces are made of matted glass to allow light to penetrate as far as possible to the solid wall at the end behind which the storage rooms for the apartments above are situated.

The most important workplaces are situated next to the external walls, the area in the middle is designed for short consultations, and functions such as archives, pantries and sanitary facilities.