Sixteen architectural bureaus, including Zaha Hadid, Mecanoo, O.M.A., and Diller Scofidio Renfro, submitted their designs for a new dance and music center on the Spuiplein in The Hague, The Netherlands. Their work can be seen in an exhibition in the Atrium of The Hague City Hall from April 20 to May 7, 2010.

At present there is a European procurement procedure taking place to select the architectural bureau which will build the new dance and music centre. The so-called ‘Cultuurforum Spui’ will serve as the home base for the Royal Conservatoire, Nederlands Dans Theater, Residentie Orkest and the Stichting Gastprogrammering.

The new building on the Spuiplein will become the hot spot in The Hague for dance, opera, musicals, family shows, theatre, concerts, classical music and jazz.

Committee

A selection committee led by politician and royal advisor Herman Tjeenk Willink will evaluate the 16 designs and select three finalists, which will then further develop their ideas. The committee will ultimately recommend one architectural bureau to the Municipal Executive (college van burgemeester en wethouders).

Your opinion

Public opinion will play an important role in the selection committee’s final decision. If your Dutch is good enough, take the time to fill in a questionnaire about the architectural designs. You can fill it in on line on the Cultuurforum Spui website. The committee will take the results of the questionnaire in consideration in making its selection.

Here are the 16 selected finalists: