Designs revealed for Dutch museum

Julian Harrap and Dutch practice Happel Cornelisse Verhoeven (HCV) have revealed their scheme for the Museum De Lakenal in Leiden.

Final design plans for the restoration and expansion of the museum were unveiled recently in the Dutch city.

The pair were chosen in 2013 to work on the project which will integrate the original 1640 building with other periods of the museum’s development.

The Lakenhal, built in the Dutch renaissance style, functioned as a cloth hall for assessing the quality of wool fabrics and played an important role in Leiden’s famous textile industry. 

The hall was extended in the 19th and 20th centuries and the building was converted into the city’s principal museum and art gallery. 

The €13,500 project includes a new extension by HCV and the creation of an internal glazed central courtyard. This has been created by reopening the Lackenhal’s historic “back-court” and re- connecting the assembly of buildings with its imposing front elevation.

Julian Harrap Architects was chosen because of its experience working with David Chipperfield on the Neues Museum in Berlin.   

Partner Robert Sandford said: “Our contribution as conservation architects is to redress the balance of alteration, so that the original building can once again be understood.”

The project is due to complete in spring 2017.

Other teams shortlisted for the job last spring were led by Van Hoogevest Architecten, Vlaams Bouwmeester, SeARCH and Office of Koen Van Velsen.