The Mauritshuis
| Client | Stichting Koninklijk Kabinet van Schilderijen Mauritshuis Den Haag |
| Completion time | 2009 - 2014 |
| Market | Art and culture |
| Team | |
| In collaboration with | Hans van Heeswijk architecten, Koninklijke Woudenberg, Volker Staal en Funderingen, Octatube, Mitsubishi |
| Location | The Hague |
| Project scope | 6,500 m2 BVO |
| Expertises | |
Doubling the area
Thanks to the underground connection, the museum’s area was doubled. The museum is located in a historic, inner-city, and politically significant environment. This makes underground construction very complex and requires careful attention. ABT applied the latest design techniques to make underground construction possible and feasible.
Underground passage
The construction of the connection between the underground foyer and the adjacent building was a complex and spectacular undertaking. The design considered all possible aspects of risk management and damage prevention. Only proven, vibration-free, and low-noise techniques were used. As the responsible designer, we, together with contractor Volker Staal en Funderingen, applied numerous complex foundation techniques: deepening the existing basement at the Plein using jet grout columns, creating deep elevator shafts under the Mauritshuis with injection methods, and connecting both buildings under the road with a cofferdam made of steel fiber-reinforced underwater concrete and CSM walls. The facade of the building at the Plein was transferred to a new foundation using jacking techniques. During the execution, the impact on the surrounding buildings was continuously monitored with a monitoring system. This large underground task was completed without damage or significant settlements of the surrounding monumental buildings. This proves that underground construction, if carefully prepared and executed, can be a beautiful solution to a spatial problem.
Cross-section © Hans van Heeswijk Architects.
Glass elevator
The glass elevator takes visitors from the forecourt to the underground foyer. Due to the monumental character of the Mauritshuis, an ‘invisible’ elevator was requested. Hans van Heeswijk Architects designed the elevator but wondered how feasible it was. By modeling the glass structure in a 3D model, we concluded that a glass elevator was feasible. Octatube and Mitsubishi were responsible for the development.
Role of ABT at the Mauritshuis
Within the design team, ABT provided the structural and geotechnical design for the renovation and new construction. We were also responsible for project management and supervision during the execution.
Nominations and awards
The expansion of the underground shell was named Foundation Project of the Year 2014. The new glass elevator was nominated for the Glass Award 2014. Additionally, the Mauritshuis received a special and prestigious award, the IPMA Project Excellence Award 2015, for the best project management in the Netherlands. The building also won the Gulden Feniks 2015 and was nominated for the Concrete Award 2015.
Images © Luuk Kramer, Hoekstra, Tilleman, and Hans van Heeswijk Architects.
