R A D I O kootwijk
re-imagining a radio palace
Abigail VanderLek | Adviser: Kathy Dowdell Drexel University Architecture Thesis 2017-2018
1916
c. 1925
1946
c. 1930 c. 1918
c. 1925
1940
c. 1930
c. 1920
1946
history:
During the end of the 19th century the Dutch Government wanted to create a radio transmitting station that would be able to reach it’s maritime ports in Bandoeng , India. Previously they had relied on the English and German radio transmitter stations but had to censor their communications. After WWI the Dutch built a radio transmitter station in the middle of an open landscape centered in the middle of the country. The radio transmitter became known as Building A, and the town of Radio Kootwijk was built around it to house all the employees. Once Building A was completed in 1928, The Queen Mother Emma opened the radio service with the words, “Hello Bandoeng, Do you hear me?” The transmitter station was now the Dutch’s direct connection to India. During WW2 the Nazi’s controlled The Netherlands and used Radio Kootwijk for their own communications. After WW2 they destroyed the radio towers and left the building a ruin. The Dutch rebuilt and reinstated the short wave radio service until 2009. Building A was designated as a National Historic Monument and now is used as a concert venue several times throughout the year, leaving it under used for a large portion of the year.
Re-imagining Radio Kootwijk became the catalyst for use and rejuvenation of a historic landmark. The question then became; How can a decorated shed become a destination that respects the site’s history, the architecture’s integrity, and allows the space to transform into a new use.
site research: AMSTERDAM
50 M
I / 80
.5 KM
6.2
APELDOORN 0KM
1 MI /
RADIO KOOTWIJK 31.5 MI / UTRECHT
50.7 KM NATIONALE PARK DE HOGE VELUWE
SITE ADJACENCIES 52.1746°N, 5.8270°E Continent: Europe Country: Netherlands Province: Gelderland Central Eastern portion of the
Netherlands, approx 5,000 km² Largest Province Shares border with Germany
Area: The Veluwe Town: Radio Kootwijk Apeldoorn Municipality
EUROPE
NETHERLANDS
Located 80.5km west of Amsterdam and 10km east of Apeldoorn, Radio Kootwijk resides in the center of the Dutch Velwe National Park. The 450 hectare terrain is perfect due to its lact of tall landmasses. A narrow gauge railway was constructed from Assel to the new town of Radio Kootwijk on the Amersfoort-Apeldoorn railway system to help build Radio Kootwijk. A water tower was also designed and constructed to help with the construction. Building A, the crown jewel of Radio Kootwijk, is constructed out of reinforced concrete due to it’s predecessor in Nauen, Germany. Nauen’s radio building was built with brick and
wood. The heat from the machinery would cause the nails to soften and then parts of the wood roof would fail. Luthmann chose reinforced concrete for his building to combat this, making the building as well as the radio equipment innovative. The large clearing was maintained over the life span of Radio Kootwijk so the mast field, consisting of six 212 meter tall radio masts, could operate with no physical interference. The organization of the masts allowed the radio signal to be directed to the correct receiver around the globe.
site analysis:
HEATHLAND
LANDSCAPE
TOPOGRAPHY +2m
+10m
0’
500’
2000’
+30m
winter solstice
primary vehicular secondary vehicular trails
A1
g
CLEARING SAND PLAINS
equinox
we
FOREST
dio
ROCKY
summer solstice
Ra
The Netherlands, a low country with few topographical landmarks. Located on a plateau the site is surrounded by a unique sand plain and pine forest. Over time the forest has encroached upon the radio mast field but recently an effort to clear the area so to keep with the historic significance of the area. SUN STUDY The land slopes down gradually as you enter the site, creating a large basin. With this gradual slope, the visitor first views Building A at a straight on elevation. Giving the perception of the building a flat view which makes it’s symmetry more captivating. Only one way into the site directs visitors to focus on Building A at the end of the road, making it a true focal point of the site.
FOREST
Located in a usually flat country, this portion of the Netherlands is on a slight plateau. This SITE CIRCULATION area was chosen strategically so that signals could be sent without interference. This added height also allows for the protection of Building A from rising sea levels. While the majority of the country will be underwater, Radio Kootwijk’s location will allow it to be unharmed. The Velwe National Park is a local favorite for pedestrians, hikers, and cyclists. It contains miles of trails with breathtaking vistas within it’s boundaries for visitors to enjoy.
RISING SEA LEVEL
BICYCLE CIRCULATION
bicycle trails bicycle friendly dirt trails
site size:
Visiting the site wasn’t possible until later in the project. So, figuring out the scale of the site was an important step to determine site and building design.
i
0.70m i
0.65m
Superimposing the size of the clearing and Building A onto local and well known sites gave good spatial comparisons. The clearing is similar in size to the
radio kootwijk
radio kootwijk
radio kootwijk
parking lots and stadiums in South Philadelphia; while Building A is roughly the same size as one of the building spokes at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia.
site approach & phases:
The main axis approach is extremely important to the site. By locating the lobby off the main axis with a viewing deck oriented at Building A, visitors can
new york city
phila. stadiums
eastern state
experience the pedestrian corridor as was intended by the original planner and architect Julius Luthmann. Breaking down the total rehabilitation of Radio Kootwijk allows for the continued use of the site into the future. My project encapsulated the second phase. Creating a destination boutique hotel in the center of the national park. Which allows for the use of the already restored Building A.
philadelphia
philadelphia zoo
memorial hall
Bike Paths expanded to connect to Kroller Mueller 50kv power station
former hotel radio
water tower
2 3
Hotel Radio transformed into Hostel with bar
1
‘Building A’ transformed into Botique Hotel, Restaurant, and Spa Floor in Transformer Room is restored
theater de hood
4
2030
2020
Connect Radio Kootwijk to Kroller Mueller 50KV Station development to the North
PHASE 3
historic rail line
50KV Power station transformed into living museum about the history of Radio Kootwijk Watertower transformed into private villa
PHASE 2
village
PHASE 4
Garage transformed into Second Restaurant
PHASE 5
2040
Addition of more resort ammenaties
‘Building A’ conversion to Boutique Hotel Resort
‘building a’
2009
Radio Kootwijk is taken off air permanently Central heating installed
1
2
PHASE 1
EXISTING SITE PLAN OF RADIO KOOTWIJK
‘Building A’ converted into open space for use by public events
1998
WATER TOWER
1 3 2 BUILDING A
3
4
DIFFERENT LOBBY LOCATIONS ALONG MAIN AXIS
LOBBY
4
precedents:
Building A is a long and tall volumetric space, similar to a church or barn. By studying other adaptive reuses with similar shapes, an understanding of how to reuse these spaces started to form. Inserting an element into the existing structure became a way to protect while transforming. Not harming the building was a priority and creating a modular system that could be inserted and then removed became essential to the design. Using the existing crane and rail system in Building A gave a perfect method of insertion, while celebrating the industrial history of the building.
kaos temple skate park austorias, spain
kruisheren hotel maastricht, netherlands
botanique hotel & spa sĂŁo carlos, brazil
uppgrenna nature house sweden
UNIQLO le marais paris, france
hotel study:
Studying different hotel types was essential in finding which type would best fit into Radio Kootwijk. The Robert Morris Hotel in Philadelphia operates as a boutique hotel. With a total of 15 rooms and a common event space, all rooms are rented out with the event space. Spring through late fall every weekend there is an event booked. This model of hotel applied to Radio Kootwijk was the best solution in creating a destination hotel in the middle of the Velwe National Park.
site design process:
Highlighting the main axis while preserving the natural landscape became concept for the site design. By adding layering bulbs along either side of the main axis creates a natural progression to the site. Planting traditional espalier, pruned and trained bushes, to the interior of the courtyard allows for symmetry within the walls while keeping the rest of the site natural.
VIEWS & OBJECT LOCATIONS
SITE PANORAMA
GROUND MOSS
HISTORIC BRICK PAVERS
LOW BRUSH
LANDSCAPE DESIGN
VEHICULAR & SHUTTLE CIRCULATION WOODED SITE APPROACH
BIRCH & PINE
WATER TOWER
THEATER DE HOODS
ENCROACHED CLEARING
STRUCTURES
CLEARING
PEDESTRIAN & BICYCLE CIRCULATION
site plan:
Adding a new round about and secondary access road to the site allows for a hard stop for non-authorized vehicles, creating a pedestrian and cyclist corridor. Parking remains at the upper north east site, and event overflow is located west of the theater.
WATER TOWER
PARKING
ROUND ABOUT
PEDE
NA STRIA
VEHIC
OVERFLOW PARKING
BUILDING A MAST
IN PARK
G AC
CESS
LOBBY
XIS
ULAR
AXIS
ROAD
0’
50’ 100’
250’
500’
lobby design:
lobby design process:
Separating the lobby from Building A and combining it with a museum and viewing deck allows visitors to learn about the rich history of Radio Kootwijk, while looking at the building through cross bracing of the damaged radio mast from WWII. Creating a visual and emotional connection to the building before they continue onto the interior. Taking the lobby off the main axis and orienting the museum to face Building A allows for a direct view line while not obstructing the main axis pedestrian pathway.
LOBBY FRONT EXTERIOR VIEW
MAIN AXIS
BUILDING A
WATER TOWER
LONGITUDINAL SECTION
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
1946 NAZI DESTRUCTION OF BUILDING A MAST
LOBBY REAR EXTERIOR VIEW
CROSS SECTION
Scanned by CamScanner
lobby views:
CHANNEL GLASS
CROSS BRACING
LARGE SPAN WINDOWS ELEVATED VIEWING DECK
MUSEUM
WINDOWS FOR WATER TOWER VIEW
VIEW OF LOBBY FROM MAIN AXIS - MUSEUM ENTRANCE
GLAZED BLUE BRICK VEHICULAR ACCESS ROAD
GUEST CHECK IN SMALL EVENT SPACE
REAR VIEW OF LOBBY - GUEST CHECK IN
technical review:
Historic buildings were built to last. They are valuable parts of our built environment and history. By reusing these structures, not only is the carbon footprint of construction reduced, but an essential part of historical context is kept for generations to come. One billion square feet of buildings are demolished and replaced yearly. Designing an example of thoughtful reuse allows for a precedent of ‘green’ building practices. Inserting the modular pods, which are each structurally stable, allows the existing structure not to be harmed.
program areas:
VENT WINDOWS FOR HEAT ESCAPE
carbon equivalence comparisons:
embodied energy:
19,432,980 mbtu ==> 5,695,244w
Restaurant 2,410 sf 7% existing conditions: Back of house 6,153 sf 18% Lobby 3,354 sf 10% Event space 5,003 sf 15% Guest rooms 8,603 sf 25% Circulation 4,141 sf 12% Public areas 4,141 sf 12% TOTAL 32,330 sf 100% EXISTING WATER RUN OFF
VIEWING PLATFORM REINFORCED CONCRETE ARCHES MAIN TOWER
HVAC SUPPL & RETURN FULL HEIGHT WINDOWS STAIR TOWER EXISTING MACHINE COOLING SYSTEM RESTAURANT ESPALIER LANDSCAPING
new interventions:
CONVERTED COOLING POOL
PUBLIC AREA HOTEL AREA
HOTEL AREA VS PUBLIC AREA
MODULAR HOTEL PODS EXISTING CATWALK PUBLIC PLATFORM PUBLIC COURTYARD FAMILY SUITE
NEW FLOOR
EXPLODED AXON BUILDING A
ADDITION OF NEW FLOOR
module axon:
Modular units allows for flexibility in the space. Like a kit of parts having 4 modular types allows for different sized rooms to be added into the space. The smaller unit size also allows for easier travel, installation, and less damage to the existing building and structure. Bolting the units together creates a sound proof and comfortable hotel room. Inserting geometric patterns into the interior design allows the new pods to reflect back to the historic floor in the main hall of Building A.
BATH MODULE
3/8” PLYWOOD SHEATHING
ENTRY MODULE
BATT INSULATION LIGHT WEIGHT STEEL FRAMING 3/8” PLYWOOD SHEATHING RESILIENT CHANNEL 1/4” ACOUSTIC FOAM MAT 1/4” SOUND DEADENING BOARD MASS LOADED VINYL SHEET 5/8” GWB
14’
-6”
GEOMETRIC BATH TILE SUB FLOOR 12’-3”
LIGHT WEIGHT STEEL FRAMING 3/8” PLYWOOD SHEATHING
6”
6’-
LIVING MODULE WINDOW MODULE
room types:
DELUX
300 SF QUEEN BED WALK IN SHOWER CLOSET DESK AND CHAIR
MINI SUITE
385 SF QUEEN BED SITTING AREA SLEEPER COUCH WALK IN SHOWER
PRESIDENTIAL SUITE 900 SF QUEEN BED DINING & LIVING ROOM SLEEPER COUCH
SHOWER & SOAKER TUB
FAMILY SUITE
DELUX ROOM
MINI SUITE ROOM
1,360 SF 3 BEDROOM 2 BATH KITCHENETTE & DINING ROOM SITTING AREA SLEEPER COUCH
module section perspective: Each modular pod is structurally sound. A structural sled is used as a base which allows for any wiring or piping to connect with the units and protect the historic floor from damage. A truss system between allows the units the correct floor heights and space for ducts, cable trays, and piping.
MODULE COLOR SYSTEM:
ENTRY: ORANGE BATH: BLUE LIVING: YELLOW WINDOW: CREAM
CLOSET
RADIANT HEATED FLOOR 18” HVAC RETURN
18” HVAC SUPPLY METAL TRUSS
INSULATED GLASS WINDOW
BAMBOO FLOORS RADIANT HEATED FLOOR PROTECTIVE STRUCTURAL SLED
GEOMETRIC WALL PAPER BATHROOM
building a views:
INTERIOR BUILDING A FROM FIRST FLOOR
EXTERIOR BUILDING A FROM MAIN AXIS
INTERIOR BUILDING A FROM SECOND FLOOR
EXTERIOR BUILDING A FROM MAST FIELD
building a floor plans:
EXISTING CATWALK
PUBLIC VIEWING PLATFORM
SECOND FLOOR
ENLARGED DELUX ROOMS
1/32” = 1’-0”
1/16” = 1’-0”
WARMING KITCHEN
The ground floor houses a restaurant, spa area, and all the back of house areas; laundry, event bathrooms, kitchen, security, staff locker rooms, set up and delivery areas. The ground floor also connect to the courtyard and family suites. The first floor includes the event space, a warming kitchen, and seven rooms. The second floor has six rooms and a catwalk that is along the perimeter of the whole space and that leads up to the public viewing deck and lookout at the top of the tower.
EVENT SPACE
FIRST FLOOR
ENLARGED MINI SUITE ROOMS
1/32” = 1’-0”
1/16” = 1’-0”
STAFF LOCKERS
ENLARGED PRESIDENTIAL SUITE 1/16” = 1’-0”
RESTAURANT KITCHEN
MECH
ENLARGED FAMILY SUITE 1 1/16” = 1’-0”
FOUNTAIN HOUSEKEEPING
DELIVERY ENTRANCE
SPA
HOTEL OFFICES
STAFF OVERNIGHT ROOM
GROUND FLOOR 1/32” = 1’-0”
ENLARGED FAMILY SUITE 2 1/16” = 1’-0”
lobby floor plans:
The ground floor of the lobby building includes check-in for guests, bathroom, office, and a mini museum with attached event space on the first floor with an old transmitter in the center of a double height space. Allowing guests to learn about the history while looking at Building A. Channel glass obstructs the view on three sides, leaving only one view corridor to Building A. Where you see the building through cross bracing to evoke the idea that you are looking through the old torn down mast towards the new future if Radio Kootwijk. The lobby area’s large picture LOBBY FIRST FLOOR windows face towards 1/16” = 1’-0” the Water Tower. Giving guests a bookend view of Julius Luthmann’s great architectural works.
VIEW OF BUILDING A FROM LOBBY
LOBBY GROUND FLOOR 1/16” = 1’-0” VIEW OF WATER TOWER FROM LOBBY
building a section perspective:
final thoughts:
Radio Kootwijk - Re-Imagining a Radio Palace is a educational study on how to create a prototype method of reusing historic buildings. I designed a modular system that can be inserted into an existing building without damaging the existing structure or historic fabric. By utilizing the existing machinery to maneuver the modular pods in and out of the building, I transformed a radio transmission building into a boutique hotel. The modular is small enough that it fits into a single structural bay and could have the potential to be moved or removed. By creating a system that allows flexible transformation, Radio Kootwijk can be transformed for many years to come. Re-using historic buildings is a greener practice and allows for unique and innovative ideas to become reality. Re-use keeps historic buildings relevant, and with them their story. By adding a stand alone lobby-museum to my project, visitors would be able to learn about the rich history that Radio Kootwijk has to offer. This thesis project was born out of my love for historic preservation, building re-use and recent trips to The Netherlands. Radio Kootwijk is located outside of Apeldoorn in the center of The Netherlands, a town where my grandmother grew up during World War II and Nazi occupation. By learning about the history of this building and the unique ways the Dutch Re-Use their buildings. Through my research I was able to find and reach out to an engineer, Jan-Willem Udo, who worked at Radio Kootwijk from 1973 until 2005. Jan and his wife still live at Radio Kootwijk in their historic home, built in the 1920s, which was designed for the workers of Radio Kootwijk. Jan and his wife have been a huge asset in collecting first hand information about how the building operated in its prime. The project was a finalist in the Michael Pearson Architecture Thesis Competition. It was enjoyed by jurors, peers, and professors. “Architecture should speak of it’s time and place, but yearn for timelessness” -Frank Gehry