All kinds of maritime references are reflected in the joint design of studioSK and VANDELUNE. The new control center is more than just a beacon for shipping. From the 'wheelhouse' on the Northern Harbor Head, employees will now also monitor the new Victory Boogie Woogie tunnel of the Rotterdamsebaan. We clad the facade with anodized aluminum MD Flack panels, a material that can withstand salt well.

Robust use of materials

The materialization and detailing reinforce the robust character of the building. The clear use of materials creates a sturdy, characteristic building that does justice to the scale and atmosphere of this location. The choice of material for the facade has to do with the location in several respects.

Because an anodized facade is alive, you can anticipate the environment with the color. The anode that the architects have chosen sometimes colors like the sand of the beach and sometimes like the green of the sea. Now that the building is there, it is clearly visible that this works very well. The building responds to the sun and the weather, a not unimportant factor on the site.

Special location

The control center is located on the site of its predecessor, the outdated 'Semafoor' from 1953. From here, employees kept an eye on ships, bridges, tunnels and bollards in The Hague for decades. But due to the additional tasks for the Victory Boogie Woogie Tunnel, this post no longer fit the old guise.

The location has a special character. The control center is located on the dividing line between the recreational boulevard and the lower fishing port with an industrial character. This requires a specific building typology that unites these two worlds. On the working quay the building is robust and more closed, on the boulevard it is light and open. Former fishermen also find shelter here as usual. They will have a special place where they can continue to meet.