The most beautiful of the Carnegielaan
The most beautiful of the Carnegielaan
Garden design urban villa The Hague
Garden design urban villa The Hague
Garden design urban villa The Hague
Garden design urban villa The Hague
the essence
Home and garden shine again
From villa to office to apartments
Originally, Carnegielaan 1 in The Hague was a detached stately villa from the early 20th century. The villa directly borders the gardens of the International Peace Palace and is located almost on the Haagse Beek, a stream on the edge of the woodland park Sorghvliet. In effect, the villa is situated right in the middle of the transition between city and nature.
Back in the day, the villas in this area were built as generous residential houses for wealthy families who wanted to live “outside” inside the city. Later, most of these buildings turned out to be too big for private family living. Transformation to offices followed in the 1960s, and often, office extensions were also added.
The second transformation
Nowadays, a second transformation is underway, under influence of changing market requirements for office space and a renewed interest in ‘living outside’ in the city. The 1960s extension of Carnegielaan 1 has made way for a newly designed add-on, designed by Braaksma Roos architects. The villa has been completely transformed, to house high-quality apartments suited to urban living.
The overgrown, dark and airless space of the garden gives way to new allure. House and garden shine again, and have become the most beautiful on the stately Carnegielaan. The transition between city and nature is reflected in the design, and connected with views and long lines in the garden.
the solution
Seasonal dynamics, colour and fragrance
Facade with allure
The old villa’s street façade has replanted its feet in the grass. The interior of the front garden is simple and representative, aimed at making the villa stand out again in the street. It features a low hedge, the beautiful old beech tree, good again for decades after proper tree surgery care, and a striking and wonderfully smelling multi-stemmed magnolia. Lush herbaceous borders add extra seasonal dynamics, colour and fragrance. A new entrance leads to an underground parking garage, with storage space conveniently kept out of sight.
Sunny south side
The southwest side is the sunny side of the building. Narrow footpaths lead through ornamental borders and along an elegant long narrow pond towards the back garden. The back garden sports a common terrace, enclosed by medium-height beech hedges backed by Rhododendrons. Looking back across the slender pond, the tower of the Peace Palace is reflected in the water. Next to the common terrace is the estate garden, which borrows elements from the estate behind it. Here you can find quirky summer oaks, standing amidst the shade-loving undergrowth of ivy, to which wild garlic and bluebells have been added for a touch of spring.
Functional north side
On the north side, a wide clinker carpet leads to the main entrance and the parking area for visitors. This side is more shaded, and its planting matches accordingly. This side has also been planted with new oak trees.
Behind the new building
At the foot of the new building, a sunken terrace is situated, accessible from the house or from the garden via a cascading ornamental border. The sunken garden, with a floor of fine Meuse gravel, is enclosed by a slightly sloping masonry wall of elongated bricks.
project data
Title: Garden design urban villa Carnegie
Location: Carnegielaan 1, Den Haag
Size: 4.650 m2
Client: Bouwbedrijf de Vries en Verburg and RBRE
Cooperation: BraaksmaRoos architecten
Contractor: de Vries en Verburg
Duration: 2017-2019
Type: design plan (up to and including final design), implementation supervision
Image credits: BoschSlabbers, BraaksmaRoos, Masccompany
Project code: bs-T 16-07