Het Strijkijzer

Het Strijkijzer
Het Strijkijzer
General information
Status	Complete
Type	Skyscraper
Location	The Hague, Netherlands
Coordinates	52°4′15.6″N 4°19′26.4″E
Construction started	2005
Completed	27 August 2007
Height	132 m (433.07 ft)
Design and construction
Architect	Paul Bontenbal
Engineer	Vestia

Het Strijkijzer is a residential and office skyscraper in The Hague, Netherlands. It is 132 metres (433 ft) tall with 42 floors and is the second tallest building in the city. In 2007 the building was awarded the Hague New City Prize and the international Emporis Skyscraper Award, with Emporis citing "its elegant reinterpretation of classic high-rise architecture, its contextual approach to a limited site, and its efficient program for accommodating new entrants to the housing market." Inspired by the Flatiron Building in New York City, its name is the Dutch word for the ironing appliance.

Het Strijkijzer was topped off in March 2007. In June 2007 the building was capped with a crown which was mentioned in the local news shortly after installation because in high winds it emitted a high-pitched whistling sound. The Hoftoren and Prinsenhof Tower in The Hague have also had such problems because of the nature of their tops. In the short term, the problem has been alleviated by affixing 380 plywood sheets to the crown. A visually more pleasing, permanent solution to replace this temporary measure is being sought.

The building contains 51 luxury flats, accessible by a separate lift, and 300 studio flats for young people. These are inhabited by students and first-time property owners. There are also furnished flats for rental on a weekly or monthly basis. Below is space for catering, a laundromat, ironing facilities and office space.

Het Strijkijzer is unusual in that it stands on a site measuring only 30 by 35 metres. There is a panoramic terrace on the 41st floor, which is accessible from the ground floor via a dedicated lift. From the terrace, one can see the ships on the North Sea.

Innovative ideas

• Since there was no room for 351 mailboxes, a kind of paternoster system was designed for mail in consultation with the Post Office; in the lobby of the building, a resident can have his or her box appear by keying in a code.
• Residents receive a keycard which gives them access to their apartment and storage.

Construction method

The site is a small piece of land on the edge of the Rijswijkseplein, one of the largest squares in The Hague, surrounded by heavy car and tram traffic. The contractor, Boele & van Eesteren, thus had to pay close attention to the safety aspect and to the minimising of noise and odor nuisance. The lower floors were made of concrete poured on-site and the upper floors were completely constructed with precast concrete. Construction speed was two floors per week.

Het Strijkijzer is a project of Vestia, a Dutch residential corporation which is working together with De Compaan to employ mentally handicapped people in various capacities in laundry, ironing and catering.

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  The Strijkijzer

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  The Strijkijzer by night

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  The Strijkijzer from Holland spoor

External links

• Het Strijkijzer English site

This article incorporates information from the equivalent article on the Dutch Wikipedia.

Awards
Preceded by Hearst Tower (New York City, USA)	Emporis Skyscraper Award (Gold) 2007	Succeeded by Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower (Tokyo, Japan)