Oude Haven
Oude Haven
Oude Haven
Three urban villas along the Vliet
Outdoor stays as inspiration
The Vliet River runs from the city of Delft via Voorburg to Leiden. In earlier centuries, wealthy citizens from nearby The Hague built their country houses here. These villas were meant for relaxation and were surrounded by large gardens and parks. To this day, the open nature of the banks has largely been preserved. In the course of the twentieth century, the area between Voorburg's town hall and the river gradually became cluttered. In 1989, a housing project called “Oude Haven” was realized at this location.
Integration between the city center and the river
In the Oude Haven, the openness that characterizes the banks of the Vliet has been maintained. By concentrating the building mass in a number of towers, the project forms a transition zone between the river and the densely built village center. We have extended the streets that run from the center to the river to the banks, creating new lines of sight from the center to the river; this restores contact between the two. This contact works in two directions: the village center has a view of the river again and between the towers, you can also see the center from the river. The town hall in particular is now clearly visible from the water; this main axis is further accentuated by the flanking towers, which are one floor higher than the other towers.
A pedestrian zone on a plateau
The project is located on a plateau with a large parking garage for 186 cars underneath; the storerooms of the houses are also located on the same level as the garage. Daylight and fresh air come in via the side walls, because the garage is partly above and partly below street level. We left part of the garage roof open to let in light and air; at ground level, these openings are hidden from view by planting in brick planters — a solution that we also used to block the view of the semi-circular entrance to the garage. By raising the platform above the garage, we were able to create a pedestrian zone. The height of the plateau is limited to 90 cm above street level, so that the view to and from the river is not obstructed and steps and slopes are not too steep.
Different types of homes for different target groups
The project consists of 41 rental apartments for the elderly and 54 owner-occupied apartments.
The rental apartments are intended for elderly people living independently, who can use the facilities of the Rustoord care home, on the other side of the Sionsstraat. The homes for elderly people have a shared hobby room and laundry. Given the beautiful location, the apartments for sale are spacious. The apartments on the sides of the towers have triangular bay windows, behind which a combined kitchen/living room is located. The houses are accessible via an elevator from the parking basement.
Materials with attention to detail
The two building blocks on either side of the main axis are plastered in white. The facades of the other blocks are built of clear brick. The attention to detail is evident, for example, in the copper pyramidal roofs of the towers: all pipes are grouped at the top to prevent disfiguring penetrations in the roof.
Enriching the center of Voorburg
The design of the plan — urban villas with public streets around and between them, the elevated plateau and the buildings themselves — makes the Oude Haven an interesting extension of the old center of Voorburg. Without building in a historic way, we have succeeded in enriching the varied architectural image in this sensitive environment with contemporary means. The Oude Haven has become an attractive walking environment where residents and visitors alike can enjoy the peace and beauty of the Vliet River.
