From 1665 onwards the popularity of the pilaster facade started to decline. Between 1665 and 1700 the Classicist style became even more austere. We speak of the flat style . Architects reduced decorative elements to an absolute minimum, dispensing with pilasters altogether, or using them only to emphasise the entrances of their buildings. The final stage of Dutch Classicism relies on a rhythmical approach to the arrangement of the various parts of the facade, on the inherent expressiveness of unadorned surfaces and well-cut window frames to achieve an effect of elegant simplicity and dignity.
Decoration is relegated to the central bay, the entrance and the middle section of the cornice.
The emphasis is placed on the central axis, which becomes more and more pronounced outside as well as inside the building. Vingboons was versatile enough to adjust his designs to the new era. However, he used pilasters only to articulate the middle ressault, leaving the adjacent bays unadorned. Subsequently, only flat facades were built. An important factor in the rise of the flat style was the increased building activity which resulted from the 1663 urban expansion plan.