The Hague, 3 February 2026 – Deerns is helping modernise the town hall in Wassenaar. De Paauw has monument status in the Netherlands and now it will be brought up to date with smart installations that combine history and innovation.
Deerns recently started the technical design phase of the renovation of De Paauw, the historic town hall in Wassenaar, a municipality close to The Hague. The local authority wants to make the building future-proof, while respecting its monument status. As installation consultant, Deerns is designing all electrical, mechanical, security and transport installations for the renovation. The exterior and surrounding park have been carefully restored in recent years, and now it is the interior’s turn. This renovation will not only give De Paauw a technical upgrade but also restore the original historic interior.
“The biggest challenge is balancing comfort with preserving monumental value,” said Marcel Bekkering, Project Manager at Deerns. “We modernise where we can and preserve where we must, always with respect for the character and history of the building.”
Deerns is collaborating on this project with architect HCVA, LBP for building physics and fire safety, and Wevers van Luipen for restoration architecture.
Modernising a historic building
Dating from 1680 and once the summer palace of Prince Frederik van Oranje-Nassau and Princess Louise van Pruisen, De Paauw now serves as the town hall and wedding venue for the municipality of Wassenaar. The rich history of ‘Huize de Paauw’ is reflected in striking details such as chandeliers, panelling and ornate stucco ceilings.
Installing modern facilities in this environment requires creative and careful solutions. These include laying cabling through the floors of the upper storeys and using the basement as an installation space. Where possible, installations and equipment are added behind ceilings or in existing architectural shafts, so that views of the building’s historic details are preserved.
The design provides De Paauw with modern conveniences such as data connections, audiovisual installations, lighting, fire alarm and evacuation systems, and camera security. This not only increases user comfort but also makes the building safer and more futureproof.
Sustainability within a historical context
The municipal authority in Wassenaar is seeking to make its real estate more sustainable and reduce energy consumption where possible, in line with national climate targets. The De Paauw town hall will therefore be made more energy efficient and future-proof. Single glazing is being replaced by high-quality vacuum monument glass, new convectors provide low-temperature heating and high-temperature cooling, and the building is being prepared for connection to a future thermal energy storage system. Ventilation is also being carefully added to provide a healthy indoor climate with minimal intervention. In addition, Deerns is applying building management and management systems to optimise energy consumption and available grid capacity.
Heritage gets a future here
The technical design phase has started, with the aim of completing the renovation in 2028. Working with the municipality of Wassenaar and the partners involved, Deerns is helping to ensure that the right balance between sustainability and historical preservation is achieved.
With De Paauw, Deerns is showing that technology can strengthen heritage, if you dare to explore the possibilities.
