by
Paleis van Justitie Major Renovation, Den Bosch
EU competitive dialogue for a multi-disciplinary design team to renovate and future-proof the central heart of Den Bosch courthouse complex, in the Netherlands.
The Rijksvastgoedbedrijf has launched an ambitious commission to transform the central heart of the Paleis van Justitie in ’s-Hertogenbosch, a major Dutch courthouse designed by Charles Vandenhove and completed in 1999. The project encompasses the full redesign and renewal of the courtroom zone, public hall and entrance, circulation routes for the public, staff and detainees, the internal logistics system, and significant portions of the underground car park and the Hugo de Grootplein courtyard. With approximately 3,000 m² of floor area involved, the renovation aims to reinterpret the building’s architectural identity while responding to today’s demands for transparency, accessibility, security, digital hearings, and the evolving rituals of the judicial process. The assignment calls for rethinking spatial hierarchy and introducing new functional clarity, while maintaining the building’s strong material expression and respecting its cultural-architectural significance.
Beneath the surface, the project addresses urgent technical and environmental challenges: large-scale replacement of ageing building services, renewal of the mechanical and electrical systems, integration of a future-ready ICT, data and audio-visual infrastructure, and upgrades to the thermal storage system and overall energy performance. Specialist investigations highlight issues such as roof and façade leakage, water ingress around the courtyard and souterrain, acoustic deficiencies in several rooms, and the need for climate-adaptation measures. The redesign must be delivered through a carefully phased construction strategy that allows court operations to continue throughout the works, ensuring public accessibility, security integrity, and uninterrupted judicial proceedings. Sustainability, circularity, long-term maintainability and inclusive accessibility are woven into the brief, positioning the project as a model for the next generation of public architecture in the Netherlands.
Location
Sector
Civic Community, Office Workplace
Intervention
Renovation
Website
Tender Portal
Tender Stage
Two stage tender
Deadline
29 Jan 2026
Project Value/Scale
25-50-million
Consultant Team
Architect (lead designer)
Interior architect
Structural engineer
Building services engineers – mechanical / electrical
Building physics consultant (including thermal and daylight performance)
Fire safety engineer
Security systems consultant
ICT / data / AV consultant
Acoustician (with experience in assembly / courtroom acoustics)
Cost consultant
Design coordinator responsible for integral design and multidisciplinary coordination
Interior architect
Structural engineer
Building services engineers – mechanical / electrical
Building physics consultant (including thermal and daylight performance)
Fire safety engineer
Security systems consultant
ICT / data / AV consultant
Acoustician (with experience in assembly / courtroom acoustics)
Cost consultant
Design coordinator responsible for integral design and multidisciplinary coordination
Submission Criteria
3 candidates will be invited to the second phase.
Each team submitting a compliant submission at the second stage will receive a €24k honorarium.
Qualification Deliverables:
– European Single Procurement Document (ESPD / UEA) – completed and signed for the applicant, all consortium members and any supporting third parties
– Behaviour Statement for Procurement
– Chamber of Commerce extract
– Tax & Social Security Compliance Declaration
– Russia Sanctions Self-Declaration
– Proof of Signature Authority and, if applicable – Power of Attorney / Consortium Declaration / Letter of Intent
Reference Project Forms:
– Completed for all required project types (integrated design; cultural/heritage building; phased renovation; acoustic design; etc.)
Supporting Evidence for Each Reference, such as:
– Contract excerpts
– Appointment letters
– Signed client statements or satisfaction letters
Qualitative Selection Documents:
Each document must refer to one qualifying reference project and follow the page limits
Explanation: “Expert Integrated Design”
– Max. 2 × A3 pages (with images)
– Demonstrates integrated, multi-disciplinary design expertise
Explanation: “Appropriate Design Sensitivity”
– Max. 2 × A3 pages
– Demonstrates sensitive intervention in a culturally or architecturally significant building
Explanation: “Insightful Phased Design”
– Max. 1 × A3 page
– Demonstrates ability to design phased renovation in an occupied, operational building
2nd Stage Deliverables (two dialogue rounds + final tender submission):
Dialogue Round 1 Deliverables – Submitted before the first dialogue meeting:
– Proposed Dialogue Agenda – with short rationale
– List of Attendees – names, roles, organisation
– Initial Assignment Analysis – max. 3 × A4 pages (+ visual appendices allowed)
– Top-5 Risk Analysis – causes, effects, mitigation measures
Dialogue Round 2 Deliverables – Submitted before the second dialogue meeting:
– Proposed Dialogue Agenda
– List of Attendees
– Outline for the Method Statement (Plan van aanpak) – max. 3 × A4 pages
– Outline for the Design Vision – max. 3 × A4 pages
– Spatial & functional vision
– Sustainability & future-proofing approach
Final Tender Deliverables (Scored + Formal Requirements):
Formal / Commercial Deliverables:
– Signed Tender Form
– Fee Proposal (total fee + required breakdown)
– Any Required Pricing Schedules
Qualitative Award Deliverables:
– Method Statement
– Design Vision – Spatial & Functional Quality
– Design Vision – Sustainable & Future-Proof Quality