introduction
04
workshop site
06
design concept
08
workshop results
10
technical drawings
12
planning / phasing
16
appendices
20
reference imagery brickwork patterns sculpture
information booklet for the EASA workshop ‘Amsterdam Expressionism’
Introduction Het Schip (‘’The Ship’’) is an apartment building in Amsterdam, it is the main source of inspiration for our Amsterdam Expressionism workshop. The building is part of the architectural style of the Amsterdam School of Expressionist brick architecture. The expression lies in the variation of masonry patterns and the usage of sculptured elements in the façade. The ideology of the movement was to create an architectural experience for social housing in which brick is the most important language to emphasise the function and arrangement of the building. The aim of the Amsterdam Expressionism workshop is to use the principles of the brick language to ‘dress’ our ‘naked’ pavilion, that has been designed in advance. Participants will finalise this pavilion by imposing masonry patterns and the implementation of sculptured elements. The design and construction workshop offers opportunity for individual creativity. All of the masonry will be done not in Dutch bricks but in typical Maltese limestone, which creates a link between the Dutch and Maltese architecture. During this workshop we will invite experts who will show us the principles of sculpting limestone and can help us in constructing our masonry pavilion out of limestone. The spirit of the workshop is to have fun and work hard. We are convinced that together we built a beautiful and expressive limestone pavilion during EASA. Carlyn, Chris & Frank
Workshop Site Hastings Gardens is a public garden in Valletta, located on top of St. John's Bastion and St. Michael's Bastion, on the west side of the City Gate. The garden is Valletta’s largest park and offers amazing views of Floriana, Msida, Sliema, and Manoel Island. The construction site of the pavilion is located just above the EASA site, at the west corner of Hastings Garden. The circular space at the corner of the bastion offers the best views of the whole park and will be our construction site for the upcoming weeks. Inside Hastings Garden is a monument placed by the Hastings family in honour of Sir Francis Rawdon-Hastings, a British revolutionary war army officer, who was appointed as governor of Malta in 1824. He died at sea off Naples two years later, aboard HMS Revenge. Following his directions, his right hand was cut off and preserved, to be buried with his wife when she died. The rest of Lord Hastings remains are buried in the garden. Fun fact: It is a Maltese legend that the garden was constructed in only 4 hours! This legend illustrates that the Maltese people think of themselves as hard workers. We have 2 weeks to finish this pavilion, so we should be fine!
Design Concept Valletta, a 16th century city built in the local honey-coloured limestone, has an incredible history like no other. This tiny fortified capital of Malta, has successfully defended itself many times, thanks to its bastion walls, defensive ditches and lookout towers. In this workshop we will continue in this rich history and build a modern interpretation of a lookout tower. The stunning views at the construction site of the Amsterdam Expressionism workshop, makes this a popular place for tourists to capture their holidays in beautiful pictures. Yet, because of the hot Maltese summers and the absence of shade, this is no place to stay and really enjoy these stunning views! Therefore we proposed a pavilion that offers the visitors of Hastings Garden a place to enjoy the view as much as possible while being in the shade and the cooling breeze at the water front (?). The pavilion consists of an increase relative to ground level, creating a view without the visual obstruction of the bastion wall. The skin of the pavilion is folded inside along the three narrow staircases that lead the visitor inside the pavilion. From either staircase one always walks towards the stunning views this site has to offer. The maximum open brickwork around the pavilion never shows when someone is inside the pavilion, just like the old lookout towers of Valletta do, while still enabling the visitor the ability to look outside while being in the shade and cooling breeze.
Workshop Result
Technical Drawings
Planning / Phasing
a
d
b
e
c
f
phase
a
Base Construction
phase
b
Stairs Construction
phase
c
Filling the Base
phase
d
Paving
phase
e
Masoning
phase
f
Extra Elements
Monday August 3rd get to know eachother
Tuesday August 4th experiment day
Wednesday August 5th final design day
Thursday August 6th prep / outline day
Friday August 7th prep / base day
Saturday August 8th prep / stairs day
breakfast
breakfast
breakfast
breakfast
breakfast
breakfast
Excursion:
Workshop: Sculpting
Final design
Material Prep
Material Prep
Material Prep
Outline & Measure
Base Construction
Stairs Construction
a
b
Limestone Heritage Site
Material Prep
lunch
lunch
lunch
lunch
lunch
lunch
Briefing
Experimenting: Brick Patterns
Site Prep
Material Prep
Material Prep
Material Prep
Material Prep
Outline & Measure
Base Construction
Stairs Construction
a
b
dinner
dinner
Site Visit Design Site Prep
dinner
Tool Prep
dinner
dinner
dinner
Sunday August 9th prep / filling day
Tuesday August 11th construction day
Wednesday August 12th construction day
Thursday August 13th extra day
Friday August 14th presentation prep day
Saturday August 15th final presentation day
breakfast
breakfast
breakfast
breakfast
breakfast
breakfast
Material Prep
Sculpting
Sculpting
(Roof)
(Roof)
Workshop Presentation
Filling the Base
Paving & Masoning
Paving & Masoning
(Seating)
(Seating)
c
d
d
f
f
lunch
lunch
lunch
lunch
lunch
lunch
Sculpting
Sculpting
(Roof)
Produce:
Workshop Viewing
Paving & Masoning
Paving & Masoning
(Seating)
Workshop Presentation
e
e
f
dinner
dinner
dinner
dinner
National Evening
(extra time)
(extra time)
dinner
dinner
Appendix I Imagery on Amsterdam School Birck Expressionism
Appendix 2 Imagery on Masonry Patterns
Appendix 3 Imagery on Sculpture
mail: amsterdamexpressionism@gmail.com facebook: Amsterdam Expressionism