Design for 244 social housing units in The Hague in DBM contract
Two hundred and forty-four social housing units, commissioned by Staedion housing corporation, are to be built in the Morgenstond neighbourhood in The Hague. De Zwarte Hond is responsible for the design of the housing that will replace the six existing housing blocks. VolkerWessels companies Loostad Vastgoedontwikkeling, IBB Kondor, and Bouwmaatschappij Ufkes together with Mondria Advies and De Zwarte Hond will develop this DBM assignment. Staedion envisages a different working approach with this organisational structure. Staedion is the director and will define the framework, based on the expertise of Loostad property developer, not only for the development and the construction, but also for the long-term maintenance.
Among other things, a well thought-out design and a clever and efficient implementation process ensure that the housing on Coevordenstraat and Haveltestraat can be built without the unprofitable top: the shortfall created if the maximum rent for the social housing does not cover the development costs. For example, high-quality finishing with an average surface area of sixty square metres per housing unit. Furthermore a DBM (Develop, Build, Maintain) tender has been chosen, a new procedure for Staedion. “By making choices we can make optimum investments in new developments, urban renewal and maintenance and we can give inhabitants in The Hague access to affordable rented housing”, according to the Hague corporation. The new housing will be spread over five residential buildings each five floors high. The urban plan is a continuation of the existing sections from the original plan by W.M. Dudok for the Morgenstond neighbourhood. Within the orthogonal grid of Den Haag Zuidwest the area covered by the plan is a reflection of the original parcellisation pattern in the polder before it was developed.
The façades are finished with a subtle, yellow-brown brick in three tints with continuous pointing. The use of several colours gives the façades detailing and structure that harmonise with the post-war image: plinth, gable end by the roof and vertical elements by the main entrances. The fresh impact of the development blends in extremely well with the existing architecture in the neighbourhood. Four collective gardens will be realised between the blocks, incorporating a number of trees retained from the present neighbourhood.
The present occupants are currently being moved to alternative, suitable accommodation via a priority procedure. The buildings are expected to become vacant by the end of this year. Shortly afterwards Staedion will begin demolishing the six existing buildings. Construction should start early in 2017 and the first blocks in the new development should be completed in 2018.
For more information please contact Willem Hein Schenk.
