Underground parking garage Katwijk aan Zee

The exceptional parking garage in the Dutch town of Katwijk is an integral part of the town’s new water defence system, protecting the town against the North Sea. The garage is situated behind a new dike and is located underneath a natural dune landscape. Integrating the parking garage with the water defence system not only protects Katwijk from the Sea, but also offers the tourists an opportunity to park directly near the beach.

The underground parking garage is situated between the promenade and the beach and thus forms part of the seawall. As many colors and materials as possible that express the character of Katwijk and the dunes have been used in the design. The entrances and exits are sunk into the landscape. Perforated steel panels with dune grass prints soften the facade. The minimal construction of the pedestrian entries forms a distinct beacon, but still merges with the environment. The dune landscape continues unperturbably across the roof.

Below ground, the glass facades above provide plenty of daylight. A minimum of visual obstructions reinforces the overview in the 500-meter long garage. Different colors and textures form a further optimization of the orientation for the users.

Winner: German Design Award 2017, IPI Award of Excellence 2017, BNA Dutch Best Building of the year award 2016, Prix d'Excellence 2016 Nederland, WAN Infrastructure Award 2016, Falco Award 2015, Rijnlandse Architectuur Prijs 2015.

Nominations: Gouden Piramde 2015, Agemaprijs 2015, Mies van der Rohe Award 2017, Schreuderprijs 2017.

Client: The City of Katwijk
Contractor: Ballast Nedam
Architectural design + masterplan: Royal HaskoningDHV
Integral design (architectural, functional, structural and building services): Ballast Nedam + ZJA Zwarts & Jansma Architects
Landscape architect: OKRA Landscape Architects
Inauguration: 2015