renovating democracy

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Temporary interventions at the Binnenhof

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Het Binnenhof, the heart of Dutch democracy, will be renovated and has to close its doors for the forthcoming 5,5 years. During this period, the complex is only accessible with special tours, but the democratic debate and the ceremonial function it has will take place elsewhere. The three temporary pavilions were commissioned by The Board of Government Advisors* for their Young Innovators program and will help the Binnenhof to maintain its important and meaningful role in the city centre of The Hague as the heart of the Dutch democracy and tourist attraction, even while the government buildings are closed during the renovation.

 

Each pavilion represents one of the functions of the Binnenhof: the Ridderzaal Pavilion has a ceremonial function: the Dutch can gather here to celebrate and commemorate important events. In the Little New Media Tower, visitors can make their own news reports. The Debate Pavilion makes room for new forms of conversation and experiments with direct democracy.

 

For the design of the temporary interventions, we made an inventory of the most important waste streams to be caused by the renovation. Secondly, we researched how those leftover materials can be re-used in the pavilions. Finally, we presented proposals for a new destination for these materials after the renovation is finished: a new step in their material choreography.

 

* The Board of Government Advisors is an independent advisory board which advises the cabinet on spatial quality.

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