Havenmeester, a project by Haag Wonen, Van Wonen, Stebru, and ARE, has won the Golden Crane 2026. The project deserves the award for the exceptional performance delivered by the parties in getting a challenging project off the ground.
Alderman Co Engberts (Housing): “Havenmeesters shows what this prize is intended for, by demonstrating that through collaboration you can achieve more than originally seemed possible. Not only more homes, but also a project that contributes to affordable housing. With both social rental homes and a substantial share of mid-priced rental homes, Havenmeesters makes an important contribution to our city’s housing challenge.”
The jury praises the Havenmeesters, partly because housing corporation Haag Wonen has seamlessly taken over the Vestia site. Furthermore, according to the jury’s assessment, the developers have extensively optimized the potential of the location, resulting in the realization of a larger construction program than initially planned.
The Golden Crane is a rotating trophy that was awarded for the second time this year. Last year, the ‘BoogieWood’ project won the first edition of the Golden Crane. The Golden Crane is intended to highlight a project where parties, through a joint effort, have demonstrated guts and daring to expedite construction. The award is given to a single project and can therefore be presented to multiple parties simultaneously.
De Havenmeesters is a construction project in the new Laakhavens neighborhood in the Laak district. Upon completion, De Havenmeesters will contain 242 apartments, of which 148 will be social housing units. Completion of the first homes is scheduled for 2028.
Text: Gemeente Den Haag
Photo : Representatives of Havenmeesters, the winner of the Golden Crane 2026. From left to right: Co Engberts (Alderman, Municipality of The Hague), Albert-Jan Moerman (Director, Stebru), Lisette Nijs (Director, Municipality of The Hague), Michel Zaadhof (Director, Van Wonen), Rick Boelkens (Haag Wonen), Dennis Koens (Achmea Real Estate), Mohamed Baba (Chairman of the Board, Haag Wonen)
When we think about comfort in our homes and buildings, we usually focus on temperature, insulation, or interior design. However, one of the most important factors for comfort and health is often overlooked: the quality of the air we breathe. Proper ventilation is essential for maintaining both a healthy indoor environment and a durable, well-functioning building.
Ventilation is the process of continuously replacing indoor air with fresh outdoor air. This may sound simple, but it plays a crucial role in removing pollutants that naturally build up indoors. Every day, people release carbon dioxide (CO₂) simply by breathing. Cooking, showering, cleaning, and even sleeping add humidity and fine particles to the air. Without sufficient ventilation, these substances accumulate, leading to stale, unhealthy indoor air.
The impact of poor ventilation on human health should not be underestimated. High CO₂ levels are known to cause headaches, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. Many people recognize the feeling of drowsiness in a poorly ventilated room, especially in bedrooms, offices, or classrooms. In addition to CO₂, indoor air can contain fine particles and airborne microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria. If fresh air is not supplied regularly, these pollutants remain in the air longer, increasing the risk of respiratory complaints and the spread of infectious diseases.
Ventilation is also essential for controlling indoor humidity. Moisture is constantly released into the air through everyday activities like cooking, showering, and drying laundry. If this moisture cannot escape, humidity levels rise. Over time, this can lead to condensation on windows and cold surfaces, creating ideal conditions for mold growth. Mold not only damages walls, ceilings, and furniture, but can also cause serious health problems, especially for people with allergies, asthma, or weakened immune systems. By removing moist air and replacing it with drier outdoor air, ventilation helps maintain a healthy balance.
The benefits of ventilation extend beyond human health to the building itself. Modern homes are often built to be highly airtight in order to reduce energy loss. While this improves energy efficiency, it also means that moisture and pollutants can easily become trapped inside. Without proper ventilation, this can result in long-term damage such as wood rot, corrosion of metal components, and deterioration of insulation materials. Effective ventilation helps keep building structures dry and prevents costly repairs over time.
Traditionally, ventilation was achieved simply by opening windows. While this can help, it is not always practical or effective. Weather conditions, outdoor noise, security concerns, and energy loss all limit how often windows are opened. As a result, many homes and buildings now rely on mechanical ventilation solutions that work continuously in the background.
Here, a ventilator is used to extract indoor air from the toilet, bathroom and kitchen, which reduces indoor air pressure slightly. This allows fresh outdoor air to enter the (bed)rooms through trickle vents. Although mechanical ventilation is a step-up from natural ventilation (using windows en vents alone), the constant replacement of air through the whole house can cause an large heat loss in winter.
Modern ventilation systems can also be combined with heat-recovery technology. This allows heat from outgoing air to be reused to warm incoming fresh air, keeping energy consumption low while still providing continuous ventilation. In this way, comfort, health, and sustainability go hand in hand.
However, many older dwellings only have a mechanical ventilation system. Here, in order to minimize heat loss, yet still allow fresh air to enter the house, VentiBalance provides a solution. This system uses CO₂ levels to control the supply of fresh air on a room-by-room basis. Sensors measure the air quality in each room and automatically adjust the amount of incoming fresh air. When CO₂ levels rise—such as in a bedroom during the night or a living room when several people are present—the system increases ventilation. When a room is empty or air quality is already good, ventilation is reduced. The VentiBalance system can be applied to existing trickle vents and can be applied by the home owner self (DIY).
This approach ensures that fresh air is delivered exactly where and when it is needed, without unnecessary energy loss. Because the system responds directly to actual air quality, it maintains a healthy indoor environment automatically, without occupants having to remember to open windows or adjust settings.
In conclusion, ventilation is a fundamental requirement for healthy living and durable buildings. By constantly replacing indoor air with fresh outdoor air, ventilation removes CO₂, excess humidity, fine particles, and airborne pathogens. This improves comfort, protects health, and preserves the building itself. With smart, CO₂-controlled systems such as VentiBalance, good indoor air quality can be achieved automatically and efficiently, while minimising the heat loss, making healthy air a natural part of everyday life.
This article is written in collaboration with Ventibalance, a company based in the Netherlands that focuses on improving indoor air quality through balanced ventilation systems. After being part of a pilot to experience their system at home and meeting the team behind it here in The Hague, we invited them to share this article with our community. They are happy to explain the system to you in English and how it may be installed in your home in The Hague: https://www.ventibalance.com
The new academic year begins with good news for students: The Hague is getting more student housing. With the new Hague Student Housing Action Plan, Platform Student & Stad (a partnership between educational institutions in The Hague and the municipality) and DUWO are joining forces to further develop the city as a knowledge hub, with sufficient student housing and a pleasant living environment.
Action plan
This joint effort will ensure that more student housing will be available (in the coming years). The challenge is to continue this trend and broaden the focus to the entire city. Promising locations for creative and innovative housing concepts are being identified where students can also make a positive contribution at the neighborhood level. Planned actions include new construction, renovations, and expanding the options for (hospital) room occupancy. The shared goal is sufficient, good, and affordable housing for all students in The Hague. Co Engberts, Alderman for Housing: “The Hague is buzzing with students. A good and affordable place to live is important for their success, but it’s not easy to find. I’m pleased that with this action plan, we’re working together on solutions to help them quickly find a good place.”
Growth in housing = growth in knowledge ecosystem
Robin Roest (director of DUWO The Hague): “DUWO will strive to grow to 5,000 student units. The focus area is primarily the Central Innovation District on the edge of The Hague city center, home to many educational institutions such as Leiden University, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, and ROC Mondriaan.” Elisabeth Minnemann, President of the Executive Board of The Hague University of Applied Sciences, adds: “Students are a vital part of The Hague’s knowledge ecosystem. Employers are looking for more new talent, and the city’s knowledge institutions train students for a large number of crucial sectors. To attract these students, there must be sufficient housing. The availability, affordability, and quality of student housing have a direct impact on student intake, student well-being, student success, and the city as a whole. With this Hague action plan, we are jointly working on this.”
The Hague joins forces
Education Alderman Hilbert Bredemeijer: “In a fantastic student city like The Hague, students need to have a place to live. With this partnership, we’re joining forces to increase student housing in the city. Good housing contributes to student well-being and enjoyment, and also contributes to a vibrant The Hague. It’s great that we’re tackling the student housing shortage with this action plan.”
Educational institutions in The Hague, the municipality of The Hague, and student organizations – united in the Student & City Platform – collaborate to optimize the student environment in The Hague for all students. More information:studeerindenhaag.nl/over-ons.
BoogieWood, a project by developer VORM, in collaboration with Local, Haag Wonen, OZ Architects and De Zwarte Hond, and supported by the Province of South Holland, wins the Golden Crane 2025. The project receives the award because of the special, joint effort made by all parties to accelerate construction.
Alderman Robert van Asten (Urban Development): “BoogieWood shows what is possible when parties dare to step over their shadows. VORM, Local, Haag Wonen, OZ Architects and De Zwarte Hond have managed to accelerate the construction of more than seven hundred homes by working closely together. They have used smart solutions and shown courage to achieve this. That is more than worth this award.”
The jury praises the joint solutions of the parties for the accessibility and the permit procedure. Partly because of this, the start of construction has been brought forward from 2025 to 2024. In a time of great housing shortage, this is an important result.
The Golden Crane is a rotating trophy, intended to put a spotlight on a project where parties have shown courage and daring to accelerate construction through a joint effort. The prize is awarded to a project and can therefore be awarded to multiple parties at the same time. The Golden Crane is being awarded for the first time this year.
The first phase of BoogieWood, which is currently under construction, consists of the construction of 293 affordable rental homes in a wooden building on top of the parking garage between Binckhorstlaan, Mercuriusweg and Poolsterweg. The innovative, modular timber construction method has a construction time that is estimated at 18-24 months. The developer expects to have the first phase completed in 2026.
Photo, from left to right: Peter Klink (director of project development VORM), Robert van Asten (alderman for urban development, Municipality of The Hague), Hans Meurs (CEO VORM), Rick Boelkens (development manager Haag Wonen), Mohamed Baba (chairman of the board Haag Wonen), Lisette Nijs (director of area development and projects, Municipality of The Hague).
Text & photo provided by Gemeente Den Haag, translation The Hague Online
Last week, Alderman for Urban Development Robert van Asten and Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning Mona Keijzer, together with Rick van Geffen and Arno Schneider – both co-owners of developer Included Development – kicked off the new construction project The Grace. The building in Laakhavens Hollands Spoor (part of the Central Innovation District) will house more than 1,300 rental homes and amenities for the neighbourhood.
Robert van Asten, Alderman for Urban Development: “We are building the future economic heart of The Hague here. The Grace plays a central role in this and symbolises how we want to develop this area: as a place to live, meet and work. Thanks to intensive cooperation with the government and the developer, the Schipperskwartier, which has always been isolated here, is now gaining a beautiful neighbour.”
Mona Keijzer, Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning: “The Grace is unique in itself. Not only because of its height, but also because of the number of homes it contains: 250 for students, 320 social housing units, 210 mid-range rental units and another 530 in the private rental sector. It is precisely this combination that we are aiming for. I am now going to fight hard to continue to help municipalities build homes – including owner-occupied homes – and I am extremely motivated to help Dutch people find a roof over their heads.”
With 1,304 rental homes, The Grace makes an important contribution to meeting the housing needs of The Hague. In addition, there is space for all kinds of facilities, such as a living room for the neighbourhood, a health centre, a fitness room, a lounge area and a restaurant with a terrace.
The project was realised on the basis of intensive cooperation between the developer, the national government and the municipality. Thanks to housing and start-up subsidies from the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning, the project was able to go ahead. The developer expects construction to be completed in 2029.
Text: Gemeente Den Haag, translated by The Hague Online
Photo credit to: PRSC./RWfotografie/Included Development BV
When a rental agreement for a property ends, the tenant must vacate the property. They are then no longer entitled to stay in the property. Zoë Ris who works as a lawyer in real estate & tenancy law for GMW advocaten explains further.
The tenant will often leave the property voluntarily. For example, when the rental agreement ends after the expiry of the agreed rental period (fixed term). Or after the parties have both agreed to the termination (mutual consent). However, the tenant may also refuse to leave the property. The landlord is then faced with a difficult situation. They will have to apply to the courts for the termination of the rental agreement and a court order to evict the tenant. In the following, I discuss the clearance of a property and discuss two options for termination of the rental agreement and subsequent eviction.
Termination
The first option to terminate the rental agreement is when the landlord has given the tenant notice of termination but the tenant does not agree. The law states that the landlord can terminate a rental agreement on six grounds. One such ground for termination is if the tenant fails to prove themselves to be a good tenant, such as by illegally subletting the property. Another is if the landlord requires the property so urgently themselves that continuation of the rental agreement cannot be demanded.
The landlord must send the notice of termination to the tenant by registered letter. In this letter, they must state the grounds on which they are terminating the rental agreement, and on which date. The landlord must give at least three to six months’ notice of termination, depending on the term of the rental agreement. The tenant then has six weeks to agree to the termination. If the tenant does not do so, the landlord must apply to the courts to have the rental agreement terminated. The courts will assess whether the landlord has properly terminated the rental agreement and whether they have done so for valid reasons If that is the case, the court will determine the date on which the rental agreement ends and the tenant must vacate the property.
Termination for breach of contract
Another option to end the rental agreement is termination for breach of contract. The landlord may claim termination of the rental agreement for breach of contract if the tenant has not fulfilled their obligations under the rental agreement or the law. For example, the landlord can claim termination for breach of contract if the tenant has not paid the rent for at least three months.
In principle, a landlord must apply to the courts to have the rental agreement terminated for breach of contract. He is not able to do this alone. The courts will only grant termination for breach of contract if the tenant has failed so seriously to fulfil their obligations as to justify this. The decision to terminate a rental agreement for breach of contract is not taken lightly. In doing so, the courts also have the power to offer the tenant a ‘terme de graçe’. This is a very last chance to fulfil their obligations within a certain period of time. If the tenant fulfils his obligations within that period, the termination for breach of contract is avoided, and the rental agreement continues. If the tenant fails to do so, termination of contract will take effect and the tenant will have to vacate the property.
Preliminary relief proceedings
The aforementioned proceedings to terminate a rental agreement can be lengthy. Sometimes the landlord does not want to await the outcome of such proceedings on the merits. For example, when the tenant causes serious and persistent nuisance.
In that case, the landlord can initiate preliminary relief proceedings. In which, in anticipation of these proceedings on the merits to terminate the rental agreement, they claim the eviction of the property in advance. However, a claim for eviction in preliminary relief proceedings will only be upheld by the courts if they consider it likely that the courts will grant the claim for termination of the rental agreement in subsequent proceedings on the merits. Moreover, a prerequisite of this is that the landlord has an urgent interest in the eviction. This will make it impossible to await the decision of proceedings on the merits. It is up to the landlord to make this plausible. If the landlord succeeds in this, they can have the property vacated even before the rental agreement is terminated.
Eviction order
The ruling in which the court determines that the tenant must vacate the property is called an eviction order. This eviction order allows the landlord to have the property vacated by a bailiff. At their request, the bailiff will have the eviction order served to the tenant. This involves the bailiff handing the tenant the order and giving him one last chance to vacate the property voluntarily. The bailiff gives notice of the eviction. If the tenant does not voluntarily vacate the property within the stipulated period, the bailiff may proceed with eviction. The costs of eviction will be recovered from the tenant.
Would you like more information?
Would you like to know more about a property eviction or termination of a rental agreement? Then please do not hesitate to contact Zoë Ris or one of the other specialists at GMW advocaten.
