The Alexander Barracks Officers’ Hotel is located in the intermediary zone between the urban area of The Hague and the coastal dunes.
In the master plan, three large complexes are placed as autonomous communities in the dune area: the International Criminal Court; a military office complex; and a hotel for officers of the army, navy and military police with 750 rooms, sports halls and a restaurant.
The Officers’ Hotel was completed as part of the first phase with 440 rooms organised along a corridor; this repetition was given its own identity and thus celebrated in the design.
The plan consists of a warped square, each side different in length, with an inner courtyard. A kink in the longest facade in combination with the irregular corners creates shifting perspectives of the building. Viewed from the interior, this results in unexpected views into the dune landscape.
The outer facades are clad in orange-red bricks accented with horizontal concrete lines and overhangs, a nod to The Hague School.
Building heights vary from three to four storeys. In the courtyard, high dunes are designed to provide extra privacy and footbridges facilitate easy access within the complex.
Nestled in the corners of the building are informal meeting hubs, recognisable by their brightly coloured structural supports and adjoining stairwells.
Daylight reaches the corridors through various coloured glass panels integrated into hotel room doors. Sturdy timber door jambs and sand-coloured floors contribute a robust yet comfortable atmosphere.