The Hague

The Hague is the place to find work by leading architects of the day. Koolhaas, Kollhoff and Moneo are among the names gracing the site boards of recent development projects there. The Hague is now reaping the rewards of many years investing in its new centre. A broad zone reaching from Central Station to deep into the old town is the scene of major developments that are infusing new life into the city as never before. As City Urbanist to The Hague, Maarten Schmitt has been in charge of urban planning, architecture and public space design there for the past eleven years. Schmitt combines an international network of the architectural elite with an impassioned approach to city development. He accumulated his experience - and his network - in Groningen when City Architect there from the mid 1970s on. Schmitt's work shows that at the end of the day the essence of city development is detached from all fashions in architecture and urban design. At its core, regardless of the chosen form, is the balance between programme, form and spatial structure.