Prinsenhof is a metropolitan ensemble with housing, work and recreation that marks the skyline of The Hague with its slender towers. The enormous density of the programme made it possible to break with the stereotype office building by combining functions. The larger public areas such as gardens and atria order the different volumes at street level.
An office tower block 95 metres tall beside the Schenkkade / Prinses Margrietplantsoen marks the Beatrixkwartier and concludes the ensemble. The broad urban road in front of the tower block intersects the Utrechtsebaan at the nearby Schenkviaduct. Other office tower blocks are about 50 metres high and are situated on the side of the Prinses Beatrixlaan. The housing blocks are situated beside the Carolina van Nassaustraat. They are designed as slender towers on a plinth and form an extension of the office tower blocks. The entire ensemble of buildings have only front elevations and are designed on all sides. It has dark-red brick on the outside, with a lighter colour of brick for the inner areas. This gives the whole a cohesion and robust character that matches its surroundings. A central place is occupied in the plan by the three atria or Corporate Gardens, which fulfil an axial function, not only for the plan, but also for the surroundings. They are fitted with a glass roof that enables the light to penetrate deep down into the ensemble. These Corporate Gardens are important quality features of the plan. They offer scope for a variety of activities as well as guaranteeing a view of the apartment blocks from the Beatrixlaan. There is a two-level parking facility beneath the entire complex to accommodate more than 1,000 cars for the offices, hotel and apartments. A dispatch zone makes it possible to handle virtually all of the dispatch traffic below ground level and thereby to avoid clutter at street level.
Publications
Prinsenhof #presentatie, 2006, p01-10
