The Gardens of Morgenstond | The Hague

Not after thinking, but before thinking

In the Morgenstond district of The Hague, VolkerWessels company Loostad Vastgoedontwikkeling is building The Gardens of Morgenstond on behalf of housing corporation Staedion. On the Coevorden and Haveltestraat, five gallery apartment buildings with green areas in between will rise. A total of 243 new construction apartments intended for social rent. The first apartments will be delivered in October 2018, the last in February 2019. 

The 243 rental units are spread over five four-story residential buildings. These contain two- and three-bedroom apartments of 50, 60 and 70 m². Homes that are of high quality due to the carefully chosen detailing and materials. The apartments on the first floor will have a garden, the others a balcony. For the new construction, 220 porch apartments first had to be demolished. Renovation was not an option because the apartments were severely outdated and had no elevator. Because of the aging population in this neighborhood, elevator accessibility was therefore a requirement for the new building. Willem Krzeszewski, board chairman of Staedion, is very pleased with the whole project. "The architecture that harmonizes well with the surroundings, the use of color, the playful use of brick, the beautiful balconies. The shell, entrances and outdoor space also have a nice look. You get a lot of product here for an affordable amount." 

Differentiated neighborhoods
This is also the intention. The Hague City Council has a structural shortage of social housing. Until 2025 it is about 5,000 units, of which 600 to 700 must be added annually. Especially The Hague Southwest is a focus area of the municipality. There, 10,000 to 15,000 homes must be tackled. Staedion is trying to play its part there. "In this green district is our largest housing stock with mainly social housing," Krzeszewski said. "Together with the alderman, we are considering restructuring. That means renovating and building in place of demolition." This has everything to do with urban densification. In this, the current trend is to build differentiated neighborhoods that promote social relationships. Districts with cheap and more expensive owner-occupied housing and with free sector and social rental housing. Including schools, facilities and welfare organizations. 

Affordable rental housing
Project The Gardens of Morgenstond fits this thinking perfectly. These were to be contemporary homes with elevator facilities, for people with small budgets. The Design Build Maintain (DBM) approach, applied here by Staedion for the first time, certainly contributes to this. The entire process of designing, building and maintaining the homes for the next twenty years is in one hand. For this purpose, Staedion has entered into a contract with Loostad Vastgoedontwikkeling, which works together with sister operating companies IBB Kondor and Ufkes Apeldoorn. Not only does this integrated approach save costs, it also allows for faster work. "By using low-maintenance materials, among other things, we can save on maintenance," says Henk Driesen, director of Loostad. "Because for us it was a challenge to avoid an unprofitable top and still keep rents as low as possible. We succeeded here!" According to Krzeszewski, an unprofitable top comes down to the difference between the investment in new construction and the enterprise value, which is determined by future rental income minus future expenses. "Usually that enterprise value is lower than the investment, because it is social housing that does not yield enough rent relative to the investment. The unprofitable top, the loss, you have to account for as a corporation already at the time of the investment." 

Good cooperation is also essential for this. Driesen: "It has to click between all the construction parties. You have to understand each other and come up with solutions. Not after thinking, but before thinking."

Playful use of brick.

Future-proof
Thinking ahead also has to do with the future and sustainability. Driesen calls it a future-proof project. "You have to be able to use it for years to come. I'm not just talking about energy measures, but also about a quality living environment. For example, real estate is being realized here with beautiful green areas in between." Because of this green living environment, parking pressure is also kept to a minimum and residents can park their cars at a reduced rate in the nearby Leyweg parking garage. The homes themselves are of course also prepared for the future. With solar panels, underfloor heating, a low temperature system, high-quality insulation and ventilation and maintenance-friendly sustainable materials. So that the tenants can also save on their energy bills. 

Interest
And the local residents? They are embracing the project; there is no discord anywhere. Frequently heard questions are: 'when will it be our turn? And 'where can I register for these homes?' Driesen: "This great interest is partly due to the good communication with the neighborhood through, for example, information meetings and newsletters. This is how we include everyone in the process.