Shell Central Office

Urban Design
The Shell International Central Office in the Netherlands is located in the prestigious residential area of Benoordenhout in The Hague.  The head office consists of a series of different buildings from various eras, spread out across the Carel van Bylandtlaan and the residential area. In 1983 a large, new office was built adjacent to the oldest building, linking the entire complex to the inner city, although the new, imposing main entrance remained in a modest location on the Carel van Bylandtlaan.  The overall group of diverse buildings reflects the identity of Shell. The three existing office buildings (C30, C23, C16) each had a rather small, unheated entrance foyer where visitors had to report to a front desk.  Too often, visitors had to go out into the street again to look for the correct entrance.  The underground links between buildings were long, unappealing and difficult to find; also, they could only be used by Shell staff.
Further growth created the need for an new, efficient arrangement of the premises and more cohesion in the structure of the different buildings.  Our brief was to accommodate an ambitious amount of space in this sensitive, complex and ambiguous location, on the edge of a popular residential area and bordering the inner city, in a way that would do justice to Shell's usual, modest presentation style. There was also a desire to express the new image of this solid, enduring multinational: transparent, modern and open to fresh learning. In the master plan, we were able to find a natural place for the extensive space requirements, doing justice to the different functions without requiring large-scale visual changes.
When arranging the internal space, a lot of thought was put into the links between the buildings.  All the existing links were replaced by an H-shaped logistical structure: a spacious central entrance on each side of the street, connected by a wide underground corridor with plenty of natural light, which also links to the five-floor deep underground car park for 300 cars.  The left leg of the H, the connection between the oldest Shell building, which is listed, and the 1983 SOM building, is interpreted as a “street”, a vibrant place where people can meet.
All communal facilities are located here, including a number of restaurants and a cafe.  Minor adjustments have been made to give the “street” an open and pleasant character; it forms the main artery of the complex. The new building is designed using tall, functional, modern-day architecture which will endure beyond current trends. 
The result is a cohesive group of buildings, a campus underpinned by a clear structure.  Visitors and users of the Shell head office intuitively find their way around the buildings.  The office buildings can be laid out well and used efficiently; usage of the existing buildings is much improved. The project was developed in consultation with residents, local authority service providers, the monument conservation authority and the aesthetic planning committee. Residents appreciated the decision to design the new premises on a scale consistent with the surrounding buildings.

The master plan covers 82,323 m2 of space, and includes:
- Training institute for managers
- Overnight accommodation
- Restaurant and meeting facilities
- New “inner street” with coffee corners, internet counters, prayer and meditation rooms, auditorium, service desks, small shops etc.
- Parking provision for 350 vehicles
- 15,000 m2 of additional office space
- Two new entrance foyers
- New layout in the existing buildings
- Refurbishment of all inner courtyards and gardens
- Refurbishment of public space on the Carel van Bylandtlaan.