Hans van Heeswijk architects expansion of Mauritshuis museum

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands attended the reopening of the Mauritshuis on June 27 following an expansion by studio Hans van Heeswijk architects. The Mauritshuis is a 17th century city palace designed by architects Jacob van Campen and Pieter Post containing a vast collection of paintings including works by German painter Hans Holbein the Younger and painters from the Golden Century of Dutch history such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Jan Steen, Paulus Potter, Frans Hals and Johannes Vermeer, including the famous "Girl with a pearl earring".

The architects of Hans van Heeswijk architects ensured that their work on the existing building remains practically invisible, preserving its monumental character, for instance by concealing temperature and humidity sensors behind fabric wall coverings or integrating a new installation into the structure of the existing roof to preserve the historic roof beams.
The renovation and expansion also included construction of a new underground foyer linking the Mauritshuis with the nearby Sociëteit de Witte building, which has been emptied out completely and transformed into a new exhibition space.

(Agnese Bifulco)

Architects: Hans van Heeswijk Architecten
Restoration architect: Askon Eden Architectuur
Interior architect: Stephanie Gieles interieurontwerp

Landscape and Planning Consultants
Structural Engineers: ABT
M&E consultant: Arup, Amsterdam
Fire safety consultant: Arup, Amsterdam
Quantity surveyor: Basalt Bouwadvies
Lighting consultant: Hans Wolff & Partners

Location: Mauritshuis, The Hague, The Netherlands

Images courtesy of Mauritshuis, ph. Hoekstra, ph. Tilleman
Rendering © Hans van Heeswijk Architects; courtesy of ARUP © Dakkap

www.mauritshuis.nl
www.heeswijk.nl
www.arup.com

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