Some people navigate Amsterdam by street names or neighbourhoods. Casper Klap navigates it by tenants, landlords, receptions desks, and — if rumour is to be believed — the exact quality of the espresso machine on every floor of every office building between the Zuidas and Sloterdijk. Colin Westerneng, Director at RE-SEARCH, has known Casper for years — crossing paths at viewings, network events, and the occasional industry dinner where the conversation inevitably drifts back to square metres, lease terms, and who just signed where. Their relationship is built on mutual respect and a shared conviction that commercial real estate is, at its core, a people business. So when Casper moved from the Zuidas to take on the role of Leasing Manager at the World Fashion Centre Amsterdam, Colin knew it was time for a proper conversation. We pulled up two chairs, ordered the coffee, and let them talk.
Who Is Casper Klap?
Colin opens with the obvious question: how do you introduce someone whose LinkedIn network appears larger than the population of a mid-sized Dutch municipality?
Colin: "Casper, I've been introducing you to people for years. But let me try again for the record. You've been active in commercial real estate since 2008. You became one of the best-known faces in the Amsterdam office market. And somewhere along the way you became — I think this is fair — less of a leasing manager and more of a one-man networking institution."
Casper: (laughs) "I'll take that. Though I'd say I'm simply very curious about people. I've always been more interested in understanding a company's culture and ambitions than in just pushing through a transaction. If you understand what someone actually needs, the rest tends to follow naturally."
That philosophy has made Casper one of the most respected connectors in Amsterdam's commercial property world. He is the kind of professional who does not just fill office space — he brings buildings to life. He knows the facility managers, the receptionists, the CEOs, and yes, probably the people who refill the coffee machines. Ask him about any significant office building on Amsterdam's southern axis and he will give you a rundown of the tenant mix, the landlord's strategy, and at least one memorable anecdote from a viewing that went sideways in an instructive way.
From Zuidas to Westas: A New Chapter
Colin: "For years you were the Hospitality Guru of the Zuidas. Everyone knew you there. And then in 2025 you made a move that surprised a few people. You went west. What happened?"
Casper: "The World Fashion Centre happened. And once you understand what the WFC is becoming, it stops being a surprising move very quickly. The Westas — the western axis of Amsterdam centred around Sloterdijk — has been gathering momentum for years. The infrastructure is remarkable: you have Schiphol Airport within ten minutes, direct access to the Ring A10, and some of the best public transport connections in the city. For an international company looking at Amsterdam, the Westas offers everything the Zuidas does at a price point that actually makes business sense."
Colin: "Is the Westas the new Zuidas?"
Casper: "I would say it is its own thing — and that is more interesting than simply being 'the new' anything. The Zuidas has a specific identity: finance, law, corporate headquarters. The Westas attracts a different mix. You see creative companies, scale-ups, international businesses, tech firms. These are organisations that want an inspiring environment without paying Zuidas prices per square metre. The energy is different — and honestly, I find it more exciting."
For businesses actively exploring office space for rent in Amsterdam, the Westas deserves serious consideration alongside more established districts.
The World Fashion Centre: History Meets Ambition
Colin: "Tell us about the building itself. Most people know the WFC by name but don't necessarily know its story."
Casper: "The World Fashion Centre was built in the 1970s as an international trade centre for the fashion industry. It was literally a place where global fashion brands came to show and sell their collections — a kind of permanent trade fair for the clothing world. Over the decades it has evolved continuously. Today it is a fully-fledged modern business campus. We have offices, hospitality facilities, event spaces, and a genuine community of international businesses operating under one roof."
The transformation of the WFC is a compelling example of how historic commercial buildings can reinvent themselves without losing their identity. The fashion heritage is still present in the building's DNA, but the tenant mix today spans technology, media, logistics, and professional services.
Casper: "One of the most exciting things we offer is Enter Workspace — our flexible office concept within the WFC. Modern workplaces, flexible contracts, a strong community programme, and the kind of hospitality that makes people actually want to come into the office rather than stay home. That last part sounds simple, but it is the hardest thing to get right."
The flexible office question — whether to commit to a fixed lease or opt for something more adaptable — is one that many companies wrestle with. A closer look at the real calculation behind flexible offices versus fixed leases is often the first step toward clarity.
100,000 m² Today, 180,000 m² Tomorrow
Colin: "Let's talk numbers. What is the scale of your commercial responsibility at the WFC?"
Casper: "Currently we manage approximately 100,000 m² of commercial real estate. My role covers leasing, relationship management, and community building — making sure that the tenants we attract are the right fit and that once they are here, they thrive. After the planned redevelopment, the WFC campus will grow to approximately 180,000 m². That is a serious ambition and it requires a serious leasing strategy."
Those figures place the WFC among the largest single commercial real estate campuses in the Netherlands. The redevelopment plans are designed to add modern, sustainable office space while enhancing the public and communal areas that give the campus its character. For context on how Amsterdam's office market is performing more broadly, the 2026 guide to office rent across Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Eindhoven provides useful market benchmarks.
Why Hospitality Is No Longer Optional
Colin: "You have always been passionate about hospitality in commercial property. Why does it matter so much right now?"
Casper: "Because the office had to earn its place back. After several years of hybrid working becoming the norm, companies cannot simply tell their people to come to the office — they have to give them a reason to want to. That means the building needs to offer something genuinely better than a home desk. Good hospitality, quality catering, well-designed shared spaces, events, a sense of community — these are no longer nice-to-haves. They are what separates a building that fills up from one that stays half-empty."
Casper: "At the WFC we think about this every day. A tenant is not just renting square metres. They are choosing an environment that will shape how their team feels about coming to work. That is a significant responsibility and one I take seriously."
The broader shift toward experience-led commercial property is well documented. For anyone thinking about what to look for beyond the floor plan, these ten questions every entrepreneur must ask when choosing business space remain as relevant as ever.
RE-SEARCH and WFC Amsterdam: A Natural Partnership
Colin: "So let's talk about why RE-SEARCH and WFC Amsterdam are working together."
Casper: "Because you don't just find tenants, Colin. You find the right tenants. There is a real difference."
Colin: "That is exactly it. When we work with a company looking for office space in Amsterdam, we do not start with a list of available buildings. We start with questions: What is your company culture? How do you expect to grow over the next three years? How important is public transport for your team? What does your brand say about the kind of environment you want to be in? Only once we understand those things do we start matching locations."
Casper: "And that approach fits perfectly with what we are doing at the WFC. We are not looking to fill every square metre as fast as possible. We are building a community of businesses that add something to each other — where a conversation in the lobby might turn into a collaboration, where being at the WFC means something beyond having an address."
The partnership reflects a shared philosophy that has guided RE-SEARCH since its founding: results matter more than effort, and the right outcome matters more than speed.
The Quick-Fire Round
Colin: "Before we wrap up, a few personal questions. What makes a building genuinely successful?"
Casper: "When people walk in and immediately feel something. Energy, warmth, a sense that things are happening. You cannot fake that."
Colin: "Which tenant would you most like to welcome to the WFC tomorrow?"
Casper: "Any ambitious international company that values community as much as square metres. The sector matters less than the mindset."
Colin: "Best memory from your career?"
Casper: (grins) "There have been a few viewings where everything went wrong — wrong floor, wrong time, wrong key — and somehow the deal still happened. Those are the ones you remember."
Colin: "How many coffees on a busy networking day?"
Casper: "Enough to keep the conversation going. Let's leave it at that."
Colin: "Final question. Does everyone know you, or do you just know everyone?"
Casper: (laughs) "Both. But I prefer it when I know them first. It means I reached out."
Closing Thoughts
After more than fifteen years of crossing paths in Amsterdam's commercial real estate market, Colin and Casper share something that goes beyond a business relationship. They share a conviction: that the most valuable thing in commercial property is not the building itself, but the people and organisations that inhabit it.
The World Fashion Centre Amsterdam is entering one of the most ambitious phases in its long history. With a redevelopment that will take the campus from 100,000 to 180,000 m², a hospitality offering that genuinely competes with the best the city has to offer, and a leasing strategy built around community rather than just capacity, the WFC is positioning itself as the defining commercial real estate address of Amsterdam's Westas.
And with Casper Klap leading the leasing effort, it has someone at the helm who understands, more than most, that buildings do not succeed because of their blueprints. They succeed because of the relationships built inside them.
"Some people collect business cards. Casper collects long-term relationships. In commercial real estate, that is the only currency that never loses its value."
— Colin Westerneng, Director RE-SEARCH
Are you looking for office space in Amsterdam and curious whether the WFC or another location on the Westas might be the right fit for your business? RE-SEARCH will help you find not just a space, but the right environment for your team and your ambitions.
