The International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, will soon have a permanent new home close to the North Sea. Danish firm Schmidt Hammer and Lassen won the rights to design the new building, which will be built to be environmentally sustainable as well as sensitive to the bordering natural environment. The new International Criminal Court (ICC) will be a striking building meant to convey eminence and authority as well as trust and hope.
Up until now, the ICC has been located in temporary offices, but it will now have a permanent home on the edge of the city. The complex consists of a series of striking square towers that contrast and accentuate the beauty of the nearby dunes. Schmidt Hammer and Lassen competed against a shortlist of twenty international firms and won with their design because of their attractive integration of the natural landscape and their contribution to the city.
The new ICC will be designed to BREEAM Excellent standards, with a strong focus the building’s footprint and building materials. The building’s facade will be clad in a composite low-maintenance material that is typically used for wind turbines and race cars — possibly fiberglass, which is suitable for the salty and windy climate of the North Sea coast. Natural daylight will be used extensively in the public areas and courtyards to provide light. Additionally, plants and flowers from each of the 10 ICC member countries will be planted in the gardens as a sign of unity.
+ Schmidt Hammer and Lassen
Via ArchDaily
