Rijswijk Plaspoelpolder – A Makers District for the Next Economy
In collaboration with Rudy Uytenhaak + Partners Architects, the transformation of De Martinifabriek marks the next chapter in the revitalisation of the Plaspoelpolder business district in the greater The Hague area.
This post-industrial building is reimagined as a circular and inclusive hub for creative, productive and residential functions. The result is a hybrid urban node that blends making, meeting and living — in the heart of a regional innovation corridor between The Hague, Delft and Rotterdam.
Programme
30,000 m² mixed-use development
Makers studios & ateliers
Co-working & leisure spaces
Residential units
Rooftop garden
Basement parking
Strategy & Approach
Anchor-based transformation: The Martinifabriek becomes the catalyst for wider mixed-use renewal across the Martinikwadrant, linking creative enterprise with education and living.
Mix-use intensity: By stacking makerspaces, short-stay dwellings, circular economy functions and hospitality in a compact footprint, the building delivers economic, social and spatial value per square metre.
Activation through reuse: The repurposed plinth forms a continuous urban interface with multiple entry points, layered visibility, and community access from all sides.
Circular design principles: All spaces are modular, reconfigurable, and demountable. Materials from the original structure are retained and extended with prefabricated lightweight components.
Regional integration: The project taps into the MRDH knowledge network and directly responds to the regional need for hybrid small-scale workspaces and affordable housing for makers.
Key Ambitions
Reuse and reposition a 1960s industrial building as an anchor for the emerging Makers District in Rijswijk.
Offer a richprogramme of ground-floor public spaces, studios, leisure, education, short-stay and community uses to activate the Plaspoelpolder transformation zone.
Reuse and reposition a 1960s industrial building as an anchor for the emerging Makers District in Rijswijk.
Offer a richprogramme of ground-floor public spaces, studios, leisure, education, short-stay and community uses to activate the Plaspoelpolder transformation zone.
Design & Sustainability
The architectural strategy embraces contrast and clarity:
A bold yet open plinth expresses the public and productive character of the ground floor.
The Makers Towers rise above the podium in slender volumes, articulated through façade rhythms that reflect internal use.
Sustainable strategies include circular construction, local reuse, energy-efficiency, and biodiversity-integration via rooftop gardens and façade design.
A central atrium connects the various uses both visually and spatially — fostering informal exchange and vertical community.
With its hybrid programme, bold reuse strategy and visionary design, De Martinifabriek positions itself as a prototype for next-generation makers districts — where living, working and learning intersect at the urban scale..