Robbertjan van Veen

De Derde Kamer

My project De Derde Kamer (The Ministry of Human Affairs) arose from the observation that the government has become increasingly distant from its citizens. Scandals such as the toeslagenaffaire (childcare benefits scandal) have painfully revealed that citizens feel unheard, unseen and unprotected. This project proposes to fundamentally reshape the democratic relationship between citizens and government – founded on trust. 

That is why a proposal has been made to establish a permanent ‘Third Chamber’: a structural citizens' assembly that complements the existing parliamentary system. Citizens are selected by sortition and deliberate on complex social issues. This will be done in a transparent, representative and phased manner, and the assembly’s recommendations are incorporated into political decision-making 

De Derde Kamer will be housed in a physical location at the heart of our democracy: the Gravenzaal (Count’s Halls) of the Binnenhof – a place steeped in 800 years of history, but largely unused today. The architectural design cleverly reuses existing monumental spaces and adds a new layer: a transparent, inviting building where citizens, policymakers, experts and the media can meet. 

The architectural intervention is carefully tailored to the context: historically rooted, yet innovative in its use of materials (such as CO₂-neutral bricks) and spatial organization. The result is a public space that literally and figuratively offers room for democratic renewal. 

De Derde Kamer will thus become a visible, tangible and living symbol of a government that listens, learns and opens itself up – right in the heart of The Hague.  

Graduation date: 30 September 2024 
Graduation committee: Floris Alkemade (mentor), Rob Hootsmans, Wouter Kroeze 
Additional members for the exam: Jolijn Valk, Tobias Kumkar