The government building at Rijnstraat 8 is located directly across from The Hague’s central station. Upon its completion in 1992, it was considered a pioneering example of modern office architecture. Twenty-five years later, however, the building no longer offered the flexibility and openness required of a contemporary office complex. As a result, Rijnstraat 8 underwent a comprehensive renovation in 2017.
Rijnstraat 8 formerly housed the Ministry of Housing. Since the renovation in July 2017, it has been home to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Infrastructure, and the Environment, as well as the headquarters and service center of the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Ellen van Loon of the architectural firm OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture), who redesigned the entire building, created an office complex that facilitates flexible work styles while requiring less office space. LED lighting is used throughout the building. The lobby, for example, is illuminated by, among other fixtures, several 5-meter-diameter Ringo Star LED pendant lights from Lightnet.
One of the most important conference rooms in the new Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the “Grote zaal.” It is one of the new building’s landmarks, and its design is reminiscent of the former Van Kleffens Hall in the old Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ceiling is the room’s visual highlight. Its design echoes elements of the floor. For instance, the globe on the ceiling matches the one on the floor in both appearance and size, and the light line that encircles the globe serves as a counterpart to the conference table.
The approximately 38-meter-long, oval-shaped light line consists of a Liquid Line Structure in RAL 7047, suspended from the ceiling, with LED boards capable of delivering up to 3,000 lm/m. The luminaire body of the Liquid Line consists of an extruded aluminum profile that has been pre-bent at the factory—thus allowing for the easy realization of custom and even more complex shapes, such as the oval form of the light object in the “Grote zaal.”
