Arendsdorp | Atelier PRO architects

The Arendsdorp Serviceflat occupies a section of the green park-like setting of Arendsdorp estate in the affluent suburb of Benoordenhout, The Hague. As the existing building was only partially occupied, this meant the whole site had more potential. The (new) owner decided to redevelop it with top-quality residences with car parking facilities. Flexibility in the design and for future changes was a major consideration in the brief.

Residences intertwined with the park
Atelier PRO and Buro Sant en Co’s scheme stems from the context of Arendsdorp: the character of the park together with that of Benoordenhout. The design progresses from our belief that the building must enrich the landscape structure, experience, use and beauty of the park. 

The spacious U-shaped building embraces the park, which functions to visually and physically extend the green space. Simultaneously the U-shape defines a residential domain that forms part of the park. The new volume restores two sightlines: an old waterway and the visual connection between the ‘Rietjes’ – existing reed houses – and the teahouse.

The U-form is softened by two openings. On the west side, the opening creates a visual connection between the forest-like courtyard and the lake. On the east side, the opening creates space around the ‘Rietjes’ and opens up different entrances for pedestrians. The semi-public trail begins here, connecting the courtyard with the network of paths in the park. 

A familiar architecture between the trees
The variation in building heights and palette of materials fit the architecture of Benoordenhout. The building is low where it should be and high where it permits: lower on Wassenaarseweg (four to six storeys) to connect to the reed houses and higher towards the park (eight to eleven storeys) where the building meets a densely forested section of the park. Most of the building varies between four to eight storeys, which is lower than most of the mature trees on the site (approximately 20 metres high), for example on Wassenaarseweg and in the park. In this way, the new building is not higher than the old building. Building heights were determined in such a way as to avoid apartments overshadowing each other. This creates a lively, sculptural volume that blends into the existing forest and occasionally emerges above the trees as a visual accent.

Adapting to the landscape
The distinction between public and private is clearly but understatedly designed. The apartments rest on a low pedestal made from raw natural stone formed by the top of the car park. This pedestal subtly demarcates the public and private realm. Also in the courtyard, the stone communicates the separation between the residences and semi-public courtyard. By utilising the water network of Arendsdorp and Oostduin we could separate the residential domain from the park but still create a garden that integrates with it. 

The Arendsdorp estate was always hidden behind the high serviced apartments. Our scheme tackles overdue maintenance of the whole site. The park grounds will be expanded and sightlines restored and added. The landscape qualities will be enriched in many ways, for instance with the inclusion of a beautiful lake. As few trees as possible will be removed. The existing rose garden will be maintained; dark and inaccessible sections will be removed. Our scheme returns Arendsdorp to The Hague. 

Architecture
The architecture is inspired by the architectural style of The Hague School andluxurious hotel apartments typical to the Hague – from the interwar period. In its material, treatment, atmosphere and finishing, the building forms a contemporary interpretation that connects harmoniously to the surroundings and enriches and strengthens the character of Benoordenhout.

Apartment types
Through using a clever basis module, it was possible to create a large variety of apartment types in the complex. Modules of 50m2 can be connected around six circulation cores. This flexible system offers the possibility to create smaller apartments for starters’ from 50m2 to luxurious penthouses of 300m2 and all sizes in between. In this way, the ideal ratio of apartment types can be decided up until the last stages of the design process, importantly, lending flexibility to the design.