Raad van State

The Hague The Netherlands, 2010
Material Development, Restoration
Commissioned by Merkx+Girod

How to restore a monumental stately building, integrating the value of the past into a fresh look for the present and the future? This was the challenge INAMATT and Merkx+Girod took on, when integrally designing wall coverings of the public spaces of the elegant Raad van State, the state council, in The Hague.

An essential colour and textile scheme was designed for all the rooms, to subtly create a change of atmosphere while respecting the stately purpose of the premises. In order to ground the building all inside skirting boards were coloured black. Then the office spaces and public areas of the White Palace, the former van Oldenbarnevelt and van der Mijle houses were re-coloured in shades of white.

For the walls in the White Palace and all enfilade quarters, we adapted the classical batting technique to contemporary use: stretching linen fibre between strips of wood to a both rich and subtle effect. In all quarters the original wallpapers were put into use for the new design. In the former van Oldenbarnevelt and van der Mijle houses the original papers were translated into a contemporary variation completely made of silver leaf.

Photography by Arjan Benning