Zaandam's center is being transformed with an urban plan by Soeters Van Eldonk Ponec, restoring historic street patterns and reconstructing a city canal. The plan includes a new hotel, the focal point of the revamped area, featuring 160 rooms and a meeting complex partly on a viaduct. This twelve-story hotel, a monumental stack of Zaan house styles, includes a "Blue House" inspired by Claude Monet's painting. Its facade, with varied windows, extensions, and cornices, has garnered global attention for its expressive design.