Monumental living in old KLM headquarters

Plesmanduin: between city and nature

The first KLM headquarters opened in The Hague in 1949. Later the building was used as the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management. That same national monument is now being transformed into a residential location with town houses, apartments, penthouses and lofts. There is room for a mixed group of residents: from young professionals to expats and seniors. In addition to housing, there will be a hotel, offices and restaurants.

It is perfect living there between city and nature. Plesmanduin is close to the beach, close to nature and not far from the center of The Hague. The outdoor space will also be completely renovated, which will make living even more enjoyable. Main contractor Van Wijnen will deliver the homes ready for living, so that buyers and tenants can move in shortly after completion in the summer of 2023. "It is a complete transformation from office building to housing. The facades will be restored, but the character of the building will be preserved on both the inside and outside," says Tom van Schie, project manager at Van Wijnen West. There will be balconies on the facades and loggias in the roof to create outdoor spaces. Furthermore, the facades will be insulated and new windows will be installed. This better insulation will also make the building suitable for a heat/cold storage system. Gas will no longer be needed.

Restored to its former glory

Because it is a national monument, the character of the building must remain intact. Monumentenzorg oversees this, Van Schie explains. "There are parts we are not allowed to change. The basic construction, for example, is monumental. So the old ducts through which the installations ran remain intact. Around that, the homes are created with a structure of partition walls. Unlike new construction projects, the residents get a home with very characteristic spaces."

It takes a lot of work to restore everything to its former glory. For example, there were asbestos-containing ducts above the ceilings, which had to be removed. Some of the ceilings therefore had to be taken out and then put back in and plastered. "We don't normally encounter that. You need real craftsmen to do this work. That's what makes the project so special," Van Schie said.

Green area

In addition to this transformation, there will also be new construction at Plesmanduin. In the place of the white building De Saxofoon, there will be three apartment buildings. This new building will have its own character, but will fit in with the old building and the surrounding landscape. On the outside there will be a green area with height differences, dune paths and walking routes. A waterway will run under the building, opening into the gardens in front of the lower dwellings. Van Schie: "There will also be a public jetty on the water that residents and others can use."

Van Wijnen often works on transformations, but Plesmanduin is larger than what the company normally does. Ultimately, therefore, it will produce a very nice end result, Van Schie believes. "We are working together on a special project and we are working hard to achieve a beautiful result."