Tall & Urban News

Twin Towers Revealed for The Hague’s Central Innovation District

Hague Photoshop
Hague Photoshop
18 April 2019 | The Hague, Netherlands

The population of The Hague will grow considerably in the next 20 years, from 525,000 residents to over 625,000. To meet this challenge, the municipality is encouraging inner-city densification within the Central Innovation District (CID), a triangular area bound by the city’s three train stations. Densification will begin in three priority zones within the CID. These zones are clustered around the train stations, in accordance with the guidelines presented in the city’s 2018 high-rise report, “Eyeline Skyline”.

Movement Real Estate and the Van Deursen Group plan to develop two residential towers with Mecanoo architecten within one of these CID priority zones, a stone’s throw from Hollands Spoor Station and the center of The Hague.

Dubbed “The Grace,” the project will be located at Rijswijkseweg near the city center and will overlook the Trekvliet canal, which will be transformed into a waterfront park for pedestrians and cyclists in the coming years. The Velostrada bicycle highway is also being built and will connect The Hague with surrounding municipalities. The Grace links the Binckhorst and Laakhavens neighborhoods with the city center, and its combination of living and working spaces connects entrepreneurs with residents. The residential concept is based on the growing demand for affordable housing and for fostering a sense of community. With over 1,500 social, medium and free-sector rental properties and a wide range of communal facilities, The Grace should address this need.

The two-tower ensemble, one reaching 150 meters and the other 180 meters, sits on a seven-story plinth. The buildings display subtle variations of open and closed facade elements, transparent and solid corners, materialization and color. Residents will have views of the city and the North Sea. The plinth features commercial functions, a restaurant and offices on the ground floor, while its upper levels contain housing, offices and communal facilities. Sheltered arcades on either side of the complex offer protection against wind and rain.

The plinth opens to the Schipperskwartier neighborhood and the new Trekvlietpark, in the form of a raised green roof garden. A transparent lobby forms the heart of the complex, offering work and gathering areas for residents, a reception desk for visitors, and an overview of the activities in the surrounding co-working spaces. The lobby is designed to be an extension of home, with areas to meet, work or study. The communal enhancements include shared courtyards and roof gardens, a communal kitchen, sports facilities, and a movie theater. In addition, the building supports an emerging sustainable subculture, providing residents with shared bicycles and electric cars.

For more on this story, go to 88 DesignBox.