The Gown / Archipelontwerpers

Feb 2011

Uploaded by Andrew Rosenberg — Filed under: Featured ,Mixed Use ,Refurbishment ,Selected , Archipelontwerpers, Glass, The Hague, The Netherlands

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Architects: Archipelontwerpers – Eric Vreedenburgh
Location: The Hague, The Netherlands
Project team: Coen Bouwmeester, Jaap Baselmans, Arjan Mulder, Niels Groeneveld
Project year: 2005 – 2010
Photographs: Courtesy of Archipelontwerpers

The ‘Baljurk-project” (baljurk = evening-dress, ball gown) is situated in the centre of The Hague, next to the old Passage. The construction of the Passage in 1882 has transformed the urban tissue. Before this transformation there used to be a meandering transition between the two streets “Kettingstraat” and the “Achterom”, cause by the fact that the “Achterom” used to be a modest stream. This organic flow is unique in the context of The Hague’s rectangular lay-out. By consequence of the construction of the Passage this smooth transition was converted into a straight angle. The Baljurk-project is exactly placed on this corner.

situation plan

plan 04

This part of the city (like every historical part of the city) contains heterogeneous collections of different architectural styles and typologies. Quite unique (for a Calvinistic culture like the Dutch one) are the presence of some art nouveau buildings in the environment.

For the last two decades the urban opportunities of this place has not been noticed. The streets and alleys became one of the most desolate parts of the centre of The Hague: blind and armoured windows, graffiti on the historical walls and the smell of a fusion bouquet of weed and urine. In a word; this was “the backside” of the Dutch royal residence.

The plan for the Baljurk is a component of the integrated revitalisation of this neighbourhood. Our plan contains eight historical plots. Behind these facades we designed eight special houses, build on an elevated level. Under this level we planned shopping space.

We restored seven of the eight facades as a souvenir of the urban tissue before 1880, as a homage to the context we designed the new front. From the understanding that cities are changing continuously; we translated the once existing historical art nouveau facades into a contemporary fragment of liquid architecture.

: © Courtesy of Archipelontwerpers

: © Courtesy of Archipelontwerpers

: © Courtesy of Archipelontwerpers

: © Courtesy of Archipelontwerpers

: © Courtesy of Archipelontwerpers

: © Courtesy of Archipelontwerpers

: © Courtesy of Archipelontwerpers

: © Courtesy of Archipelontwerpers

: situation plan

: plan 01

: plan 02

: plan 03

: plan 04

: plan 05

: plan 06

: plan 07

* Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.

Cite:
Rosenberg , Andrew . "The Gown / Archipelontwerpers" 02 Feb 2011. ArchDaily. Accessed 22 Feb 2012. <http://www.archdaily.com/108379>

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Sandeep says:

REALLY COOOOL …

doesn’t the front facade look like Gehrys Dancing House in Prague !

just an observation !

# February 3, 2011 at 02:58

Victor Barbalato says:

Thought the exact same thing!

# February 3, 2011 at 03:31

pero says:

mabey it looks a lil bit the same, so what? stepin that way – we shouldn’t build those white-box neo-modernistic architecture because it was already designed in japan… even if it looks similiar i still like it, wish to see buildings like this one in my country:/

# February 3, 2011 at 04:24

brady says: