Architecture of the skeleton

Converting the Hague’s former police station into a public mixed-use development

Master thesis (2022)

Authors

M. MEXIS Architecture and the Built Environment

Contributors

W.L.E.C. Meijers Heritage & Design - Architecture and the Built Environment (mentor)
F.W.A. Koopman Heritage & Technology - Architecture and the Built Environment (mentor)
H. Zijlstra Heritage & Design - Architecture and the Built Environment (mentor)
Verena Elisabeth Balz Spatial Planning and Strategy - Architecture and the Built Environment (graduation committee member)
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment, Architecture and the Built Environment
Copyright: © 2022 MICHAIL MEXIS
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Published Date

20-06-2022

Language

English

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Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Abstract

The graduation project proposes the transformation of the police headquarters in the Hague, into a mixed-use development, including an IT university, co-working spaces, apartments, along with a public library and other facilities that encourage the interaction between the building users and locals, forming innovative knowledge clusters across the community. The project aims to explore, both through research and design, the role of structure in the adaptability of former 20th century Dutch police stations. The subject of investigation was decided with the realization that structure constitutes an essential element of an existing building whose potential needs to be thoroughly identified in order to transform it for future uses. The research contributed to the design by pointing out the influence of structure in terms of spatial organization, qualities, and form of existing buildings. As an ultimate aim, the proposal aspires to inform future projects using standardized and factory produced elements about the design possibilities in existing office buildings. Finally, the biggest challenge was to re-introduce a building of such identity, scale and status to its setting, that has been left out of all the activities taking place inside the colossal building complex, ever since it was built.