LEIDEN.- On Monday 7 October Museum De Lakenhal (Leiden, The Netherlands) announced the combination of architects that will be in charge of the restoration and expansion of the museum. The selection committee unanimously chose for London based restoration architect Julian Harrap Architects (JHA), together with the young and talented team of architects of Rotterdam based HappelCornelisseVerhoeven (HVC) for the new construction.

Leiden is Holland’s fourth city of culture, third city of monuments and the Dutch museum city per excellence. It is a city in which knowledge and culture are of primary importance. Member of the Municipal Council Jan Jaap de Haan (Culture): “The selection committee with among others the government architect Frits van Dongen, selected the five best entries out of 47 interested combinations of architects. The selection committee unanimously chose for this combination, based on their appealing vision and planned approach. Julian Harrap Architects and HappelCornelisseVerhoeven will now get to work on their designs and I’m looking forward to the end result. With the choice for this two architectural firms made, the restoration and expansion of Museum De Lakenhal has come one more step closer.”

Two architectural firms
Julian Harrap Architects is part of the international top of the restoration practice. The office headed by partners Robert Sandford and Lyall Thow with Julian Harrap as principal consultant was established in 1975 and has a good reputation, earned by the successful restoration of monumental heritage. Momentary, they are working on the restoration of the Sir John Soane Museum in London and, along with David Chipperfield Architects, they were responsible for the restoration of the Neues Museum in Berlin, a project awarded with the Mies van der Rohe Award in 2011. HappelCornelisseVerhoeven consists of Ninke Happel, Floris Cornelisse and Paul Verhoeven. Based on traditional and sustainable values, this promising trio designs new constructions which connect in a natural and contemporary way with the urban or rural surroundings.

Museum director Meta Knol: “We are very happy with this surprising combination of the international top in the field of restoration practice and young talent for the new construction. It fits with the Museum De Lakenhal profile.”

Restoration and Expansion
Museum De Lakenhal has been housed in the monumental Laecken-Halle since 1874. The building dates from 1641 and is in urgent need of restoration and expansion. A sum of 13,5 million Euros was provided by the Municipality of Leiden. The museum has generated the additional means with its successful Lucas van Leyden Patronage and a 1 million Euros gift from the BankGiro Loterij. The historical building will be restored and conserved over the years 2015-2017 and the obsolete climate installation will be replaced. At the same time the arrears in public facilities will be taken care of by adding an auditorium and catering services. The roofing of the front square of the museum, an emergency measure dating from 1992, will be removed. The shortage of space for temporary exhibitions will be solved by adding a new exhibition hall, as to make better and more complete exhibition of the permanent in the existing building possible. The logistic facilities will be improved, as to help the museum keep up its international loan position. The last extension of Museum De Lakenhal dates from 1921.

Museum De Lakenhal
Museum De Lakenhal is the museum for the arts, crafts and history of the city of Leiden. Since 1874 it has been housed in the Laecken-Halle (cloth hall). Highlights of the collection are works of old masters such as Lucas van Leyden, Rembrandt van Rijn and Jan Steen, but also works by modern artists such as Theo van Doesburg, Jan Wolkers and Erwin Olaf.

Museum De Lakenhal makes exhibition of high quality and of (inter)national importance, based on Leiden related sources. The museum positions itself as an innovative network museum for all generations, both classical and stylish, contemporary and adventurous.