Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects has completed a new building for the International Criminal Court in the Hague, featuring chequerboard facades that create shifting patterns of light and shadow (+ slideshow).
The new long term premises for the International Criminal Court (ICC) is located on a former military barracks at the edge of the Meijendel Dunes to the north of the Dutch city.
Schmidt Hammer Lassen was awarded the project in 2010 following a competition, and strategies unveiled at the time by the Danish firm depicted a sequence of cubic structures intended to reference the dune landscape of The Hague.
Relevant story: Schmidt Hammer Lassen completes Scandinavia’s biggest library
The completed 54,000-square-metre developing was produced in conjunction with landscape architects SLA to recall a piece of land artwork, comprising six volumes that rise above the dunes.
“It has been evident that connecting the dune landscape with the edge of the city had a striking potential,” mentioned Schmidt Hammer Lassen’s co-founding companion, Bjarne Hammer.
“By creating a compact building with a little footprint on the outdated military site of the Alexander barracks, we are returning the landscape to the city.”
The building is predominantly covered by a cladding system featuring a grid into which windows and slanted panels are inserted.
The result is a uniform yet continuously varied surface that reflects light in distinct methods. The facade also provides a degree of transparency which is intended to symbolise values that are key to the ICC’s mandate, like trust and respect.
“The style was picked for its understanding of the notion of transparency,” mentioned the architects in a statement.
“The layout also demonstrates how democratic values upon which the Danish tradition for architecture rests reflect in an worldwide institution that is topic to some of the strictest safety needs in the globe.”
An alternative cladding program is utilized to the surfaces of the building’s tallest volume, which houses the Court Tower.
This tower’s facades will progressively be covered with plants that will lengthen the surrounding landscaped gardens onto the creating.
“Gardens have often existed as portion of all cultures and all religions,” the architects extra.
“With flowers and plants representing the over 120 ICC member countries, the parterre gardens will rise up as a green landmark and a symbol of unity, irrespective of nationality and culture.”
The landscaping about the building consists of ponds and sand banking institutions that assist reinforce the connection with the nearby dunes, whilst also contributing to a hugely safe setting that negates the need for unsightly fences.
Schmidt Hammer Lassen just lately announced that it has teamed up with American artist James Turrell to style a domed extension to one of Denmark’s most-visited museums.
The firm’s prior tasks contain Scandinavia’s biggest library and an expansive cultural complex incorporating a concert hall and a trio of hotel towers.
Photography is by Hufton + Crow.
Task credits:
Architect: Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects
Landscape: SLA
Client: The International Criminal Court (ICC)
Engineer: Royal Haskoning Nederland B.V. and Esbensen – Consulting Engineers AS
Project Management: Brink Groep
Contractor: Courtys
