Kustwerk Katwijk

Description

The underground parking garage (663 places) in Katwijk aan Zee (the Netherlands) is hidden inside sand dunes along the restored coastal defense coastline. This location makes this project unique in the Netherlands and the world. Royal HaskoningDHV is responsible for the architectural design, during the construction phase the contractor, Ballast Nedam, in cooperation with ZJA, engineered the integral design (architectural, structural, etc) of this parking garage.

Statement of the jury

This underground car park located underneath a sand dune connects the city with the sea, with entrances that blend in harmoniously with the shape of the surrounding dune landscape. This solution simultaneously solves the usual problem in coastal towns of providing parking close to the beach while protecting the dunes and the coastline via the art of architectural engineering. The interior of the light, spacious parking level is equipped with an intuitive signage system that makes navigation easy and reliable. A fantastically ingenious design that pays great attention to environmental issues and sustainability, once again providing proof of what can be achieved in these areas.