Paleis Het Loo

Paleis het Loo is experiencing a steady growth of visitors, a major renovation is planned to facilitate this growth and improve the facilities. The monumental royal palace is a unique ensemble consisting of a late seventeenth-century palace, baroque gardens, a stable block and an imposing Basse-cour. After the renovation of Paleis Het Loo, the museum is inviting and accessible to all visitors. A contemporary extension that does justice to both the history and the future of the Palace.

The starting point is a hospitable and accessible museum, in which the present and the past are connected in a natural way. By placing the new building underground, the palace is being expanded substantially in a reserved manner. The existing and monumental identity will be optimally preserved. The information centre for the gardens is also included at the central entrance. The gardens of Het Loo are invaluable and thus create a direct connection between the main house and the garden.

An 8-shaped routing smoothly winds down from the elliptical shape of the Basse-cour, centred on a mezzanine with the entrance to the museum. The architectural element is powerful and soft at the same time, organizing all movements and transitions in a natural way. It is a grand gesture with an inviting public entrance and self-evident routes to the palace and the wings. All new entrances are accessible to people who have a disability: everyone passes through the same door, one of the achievements of this new, accessible architecture. Monumental and heritage value are not only preserved with the design, but on the contrary reinforced. Present and past are ready for the future.