In the ‘Moerwijk’ district of The Hague, 228 portico flat appartments have been made more sustainable on behalf of housing association Haag Wonen. This concerns major maintenance with energy improvements by adapting installations and insulating the facades. In the design, KOW has explicitly opted to preserve the beautiful appearance of the post-war architecture, which determines the streetscape.
Post-war architecture
The post-war expansion district Moerwijk in The Hague Southwest was designed according to the urban development plan by Willem Dudok from 1949. The plan is based on elongated complexes on the main road structure and small-scale residential blocks and courtyards in the areas within the main structures.
The blocks on the main structures Melis Stokelaan and Anna Bijnslaan were built around 1953. Characteristic of the 4-layer brick architecture is the clear rhythm. With the continuous orange tiled roof, the gutter and the alignment of the window frames as horizontal elements, the porches as vertical elements and the layout of the window frames. The rhythm of the window frames is reinforced by dark, slender steel frames with white concrete frames in contrast with the detailed red brickwork. To create a distinction in the unity, the concrete frames of the porch entrances are decorated with facade medallions that depict various medieval professions.
The 3-storey block on Rederijkerstraat was built in the same period, with similar characteristics; continuous horizontal lines and a clear rhythm of porches and window frames. However, there are also differences. The urban development plan and architecture of these inner areas is more intimate and refers to the garden city architecture of before the war.
A disadvantage of this beautiful building style is the limited energy resistance of window frames and facades. In the current situation, the facades have a heat resistance of approximately 0.3 W/m.k, while an Rc of 2.5 is required for the intended Dutch Energy Label B.
With and without respect
Until recently, it was customary to provide the facades of these social housing units with plastered insulation, often in combination with flat, white plastic window frames. This has resulted in the loss of much of the expression and architectural character and the visual quality of these neighbourhoods has deteriorated considerably. That is why we have made maximum effort in this project to achieve energy improvements while retaining the original architecture.
Insulation with mineral stone strips
An insulation package is applied to the street side, the gables and the first part of the rear facades, finished with mineral stone strips. The existing facades have a powerful expression with special masonry bonds, patterns and characteristic concrete window frames. The mineral stone strips make it possible to restore the existing bonds and special features. The concrete frames are thickened to restore the original image. By working together integrally with supplier Sto and contractor Era Contour, we have succeeded in carefully solving the complex detailing, both technically and aesthetically.
Other energy saving measures
During the maintenance in 1995, the frames on the front facade of the blocks on the lanes were replaced by dark aluminium frames with insulating glazing and soundproof ventilation. These are of reasonably good construction and aesthetic quality and will not be replaced. In the Rederijkerstraat, flat, white plastic frames were installed at that time, which are now being replaced by aluminium frames from Kawneer with a slim appearance, like the original steel frames.
At the rear, the original wooden frames with single glazing are being replaced by profiled plastic frames with HR++ glazing. The old, draughty casement windows are being replaced by self-regulating ventilation grilles.
The part of the rear facade in connection with the side facades is being made of stone strips, and the facade insulation on the rest of the rear facade is being plastered cream white. To prevent cold bridges, the consoles of the concrete balconies are also being wrapped. The light stucco and the balconies finished in the same colour form a nice contrast with the brick balcony cabinets and the dark balcony railings.
In the complexes on the lanes, the space under the sloping roofs is not used by the residents. That is why insulation can be installed at the attic floor level and the tiled roof does not have to be replaced. In the block in Rederijkerstraat, the attic is part of the homes and the roofs and dormers are being renewed. The floors of the porch homes on the first floors on the lanes are being insulated from below from the storage rooms.
Closed communal entrances
During the major maintenance in 1995, the communal entrances on Melis Stokelaan and Anna Bijnslaan were closed off ‘soberly and efficiently’ with light, flat plastic entrance doors. The communal entrances on Rederijkerstraat are open and therefore potential, nuisance-causing hangouts for young people. In the project, the existing closures on the lanes were replaced by beautiful, dark green aluminum doors. The open entrances in Rederijkerstraat also have a closed entrance made of dark green aluminum, carefully integrated into the streetscape, in accordance with the original architecture.
