In the centre of The Hague, the space where the familiar V&D department store once stood has been reimagined with a new purpose. From 2 February, it will be home to a university campus and knowledge hub where education, research, and policy meet in the City of Peace and Justice.
The Spui Campus – home to multiple knowledge institutions
The new Spui Campus will accommodate around 4,000 students and staff, and brings together five knowledge partners: Leiden University, TU Delft, the Open University, Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), and Universities of the Netherlands. It will serve as a campus for education and research around three key themes: Climate & Energy, Digitalisation, and Safety & Security – providing a hub where both students and professionals can contribute to research that addresses various social issues in the city.
The shared campus with flexible rooms, study areas, and open spaces was designed for collaboration between disciplines and sectors. The programmes offered ties in with the DNA of The Hague as the International City of Peace and Justice and the administrative centre of the Netherlands, and aim to stimulate the cross-pollination of technical, social, cybersecurity, and policy research.
From defunct department store to university campus
The Dutch V&D department store opened its doors on Spuistraat in 1927 and became a familiar backdrop for The Hague’s residents for generations. By the time it closed its doors for the last time in 2015, it occupied three buildings, including the protected art deco architecture on the main street, Spui.
CBRE Investment Management (CBRE IM), which took over ownership of the buildings in 2017, wanted to explore other uses for the spaces and attract new target groups to the area. This aligned with the Municipality of The Hague’s ambition to develop the city centre into a lively, green and connected area, with more functions other than retail and restaurants. Leiden University, with three existing campuses in The Hague and the need for expansion, became an ideal fit for the spaces, and a plan to transform the department store into a university campus was set in motion.
To support this transformation, the Municipality of The Hague invested €10 million into the project.
“This is an important development for the city centre. The campus is designed to connect research, education and society. It strengthens The Hague’s economic profile and reflects strong cooperation between partners in the city,”
Architecture that integrates heritage with innovation
Sustainability and conservation were key considerations for all parties involved. The goal was to integrate heritage with innovation and create a sustainable building with a reimagined identity.
The energy-efficient Campus features a green roof with solar panels, triple glazed windows, and interiors that maximise the use of natural light. During the build, natural stone that was removed was also reused in the building.
To honour the building’s history, its original 1930s columns, beams, staircases, and tiles were preserved for the interior. The heritage facade on Spui has also been restored to its former glory, to be used as the main entrance of the campus.
Upon entry, the foyer leads to a basement that will house a large parking facility for 1,350 bikes. Along the side streets of Spuistraat and Grote Marktstraat, the facade has been redesigned to feature generous windows that offer open views into student life on the Campus.
“The Spui Campus is an example of how cities can reuse existing buildings in smart and sustainable ways. Sometimes, the most meaningful architecture is created through reinvention: taking an existing landmark and reshaping it into something that better serves the city.”
This development gave a familiar building that has lost its relevance new purpose. The opening of the Spui Campus is expected to increase daily footfall in the shopping district and bring more students to the heart of The Hague.
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Leiden University is developing a major new building at Spui, in the heart of The Hague. Set in a former department store, the building will house around 4,000 students and staff from Leiden University, Delft University of Technology, the LUMC and Universities of the Netherlands. It’s expected to open… ...
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