Dutch architecture firm Mecanoo has unveiled the design of what will soon become the tallest high-rise ensemble in the city of The Hague, in the Netherlands. Dubbed "The Grace", the project consists of two towers, one at 150 meters high and the other at 180 meters, becoming the tallest high-rise ensemble in the city. The residential project comes as a response to the growing demand for affordable housing, as well as fostering an enhanced sense of community.
With over 1400 social, medium, and free-sector rental properties and a wide range of communal facilities, The Grace addresses the need for affordable and scalable housing. Since the population of The Hague is expected to grow considerably within the next twenty years from 525,000 residents to over 625,000, the municipality is encouraging inner city densification within the Central Innovation District (CID), a triangular area bound by the city’s three train stations.
The two-tower ensemble will sit on a seven-storey plinth, forming a harmonious composition with subtle variations in open and closed facade elements, transparent and round corners, materialization and color palette. The plinth features commercial spaces, such as a restaurant and work areas on the ground floor, while its upper levels feature housing, offices, and communal facilities. Arcades are added on all sides of the complex to offer protection against wind and rain, and create sheltered places for pedestrians and visitors. The plinth opens to the Schipperskwartier neighborhood and the new waterfront park along the Trekvliet canal in the form of a raised green roof garden, offering members of the community with dynamic public spaces.
A "transparent" lobby serves as the heart of the complex, providing residents with work and gathering areas, a reception desk for visitors, and an overview of the activities in the surrounding co-working spaces. The sense of community is further enhanced by shared courtyards and roof gardens, a communal kitchen, sports facilities, a movie theatre, shared bicycles and electric cars.
The Grace is being built at Rijswijkseweg, and overlooks the Trekvliet canal, which will be transformed into a waterfront park for pedestrians and cyclists in the upcoming years. In addition to the towers, the Velostrada bicycle highway is also being built, and will connect The Hague with the surrounding towns.
Movement Real Estate and the Van Deursen Group have taken the initiative to develop two residential towers with Mecanoo within one of these CID priority zones, near Hollands Spoor Station and the center of The Hague. The project will be realized between 2022 - 2025, with the help of ARUP as Structural engineer, installations consultant and building physics consultant.
