17 court houses & public space
HvdHA designed a courtyard within a masterplan made by West 8. It is situated in the courtyard of a block of single-family dwellings and is accessible through a gate. The spatial structure is derived from well-known Dutch examples, such as the Hofje van Nieuwkoop in The Hague. From the gate, a water well becomes visible, a classic symbol, which is also the spatial focal point in Kralingen. Behind it, in the bend of court the space, a single flat-roofed dwelling appears, which contrasts with the gabled roofs of the courtyard dwellings. This dwelling refers to the regents’ quarters in caritative courts. Big letters in the brickwork of the regent’s house say: Hof doet leven (Court Brings Life).
The facades will be cladded with so-called Ecobricks with a special size: 24x7x4 cm. (length x width x thickness). The Ecobricks are 30% thinner than traditional Dutch bricks. The environmental impact is thus proportionally less. Two types of the bricks will be used forming decorative patterns on the façade columns.
