pantheon// 2014 | narrative

quarterly publication of d.b.s.g. stylos / issue 3 / volume 19

pantheon// narrative

poetry and architecture // Klaske Havik // Kowloon // Oerol // nieuwe commissies // grote reis

quarterly edition of the study association Stylos faculty of Architecture, TU Delft

colophon volume 19, issue 3, october 2014 2.500 prints Stylos members en friends of the Stylos Foundation receive the pantheon// editorial office BG. midden.110 Julianalaan 132-134 2628 BL, Delft pantheon@stylos.nl QQ (qualitate qua) Nina Bohm editors Antje Adriaens Marthe van Gils Laura Linsi Bernard Oussoren Margot Overvoorde Isabel Potworowski Veerle Alkemade Anneloes Kattemölle Nina Bohm to this issue contributed Niels Franssen, Board 121, Veerle Alkemade, Willie Vogel, ir. Henri van Bennekom, Charlotte Ros, Ronen Dan, Vita Teunissen, Patrick van Dodewaard, ir. Lodewijk van Nieuwenhuijze

manipulatated narrative by Anneloes Kattemölle

index Narrative

advertisements 11 | De Swart 11 | Waltman 29 | MHB

2 real places, dream images

publisher De Swart, ‘s-Gravenhage

4 Oerol festival ‘14

cover Anneloes Kattemölle

Laura Linsi

Antje Adriaens

5 kijken met woorden Thijs Bennebroek The Delftsch Bouwkundig Studenten Gezelschap Stylos was founded in 1894 to look after the study and student interests at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at the Delft University of Technology. board 121 D.B.S.G. Stylos chairman: Niels Franssen secretary: Niels Boelens treasurer: Nanette Lim education bachelor: Nico Schouten education master: Anne van der Meulen external affairs: Veerle Alkemade events and initiatives: Hanna Moonen contact BG. midden 110 Julianalaan 132-134 2628 BL Delft info@stylos.nl (+31) 15 2783697 www.stylos.nl membership Stylos €10,- per year account number 296475

6 poetry and architecture Marthe van Gils

8 wild west in the far east Bernard Oussoren

12 Klaske Havik Isabel Potworowski

15 recommended reading Nina Bohm

16 van taal en ruimte Anneloes Kattemölle

Stylos Foundation The pantheon// is funded by the Stylos Foundation.

Stylos

The Stylos Foundation fulfills a flywheel function to stimulate student initiatives at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Enivronment at the Delft University of Technology. The board of the Stylos Foundation offers financial and substantive support to these projects.

18 chairman’s note

As a friend of the Stylos Foundation you will be informed on these projects by receiving the B-nieuws every two weeks and four publications of the pantheon//.

We ask a donation of €90,- per year as a company and €45,- per year as an individual (recently graduated friends of the Foundation will pay €10,- the first two years).

18 nieuwe commissies

account number 1673413 disclaimer All photos are (c) the property of their respective owners. We are a non-profit organisation and we thank you for the use of these pictures.

Niels Franssen

Board 121

19 the last lectures Veerle Alkemade

20 Korean design Willie Vogel

21 fruitful cultural design ir. Henri van Bennekom

22 hello wood Charlotte Ros

23 SteeOwee Ronen Dan

24 Hamburg Vita Teunissen

General 25 get inspired Marthe van Gils

26 @landschaparchitect Margot Overvoorde

28 cheops Patrick van Dodewaard

29 agenda Bernard Oussoren

editorial

Margot Overvoorde How does architecture narrate its stories?

Every time something is designed, a story is behind it. The history of the place, the process of making it, the conceptual story that architects are good at and the meaning it has to the people that use it. In this pantheon// we tell you about narrative, in architecture, movies,

In an interview on the topic of narrative, Klaske Havik describes various literary tools that can help architects both in site analysis and design. These tools include sequences, evocative descriptions, and the creation of characters that allow us to experience a place from the

poems, typography and education. We wanted to adress this theme, because it plays a big role in our lives as designers. Where can we find the narrative, what can it add to a design and how can we use it?

users’ perspective.

People can give a place a story, an interesting example of this is Kowloon City in Hong Kong, a walled city were a big group of squatters build there homes and created a new city.

Through movies you can experience spaces that are not even real, because of the narrative you can imagine them and understand them.

A striking typography can tell as much about the story as the text itself. That is why we want to dedicate a chapter to the meaning and use of fonts.

One article explores the poetic layer in architecture. How can style figures and poetic imagination be adopted from literature and benefit the architectural design? As for example metaphors help us better understand the world and guide us to alter the unknown.

Because the theme narrative and books are closely related, we decided to give the recommended reading a more important place in the theme part of the pantheon//. Instead of three books, it now covers six books, all about the relation between narrative and design.

We hope you enjoy our stories.//

A group of students went to Terschelling for the Oerol project, here the story of the island was told. The students set out a route for the visitors that showed a spatial narrative.

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narrated spaces

real places, dream images Laura Linsi

Stories do not have to conform to scientific theories. Laws of physics or politics do not limit them.

Poems, novels, movies and other narrative-based fictional media offer an alternative approach to thinking about space and cities, their formation and their functions.

There are strict limits that the real world sets on architectural designs. During the design process, however, the designer’s mind transcends these limits because architecture is not only about what can be limited by physics, like form, it is also about action and events.

Whether it is space that evokes the action or the action that turns a place into a space is arguable, but that there is an ambiguity to how places are practiced is unquestionable.

Fiction allows for explorations of how practice changes the place and the perception of

the moon, with streets wound about themselves as in a skein. They tell this tale of its foundation: men of various nations had an identical dream.

They saw a woman running at night through an unknown city; she was seen from behind, with long hair, and she was naked. They dreamed of pursuing her. As they twisted and turned, each of them lost her. After the dream, they set out in search of that city; they never found it, but they found one another; they decided to build a city like the one in the dream. In laying out the streets, each followed the course of his pursuit; at

like they are there for everyone else but they attain a meaning and become markers for his story through his extensive walks after work.

space, how space unfolds, what its imaginative qualities and potentials are. Stories have the capability to embrace this complexity and bring the action and the place together as one. This often results in a seemingly irrational confusion of human action, impossible structures and unforeseeable connections. As such, stories in all their irrationalities offer valuable insights that help the designer to surpass the conventions of architectural design and open up new layers of understanding that allow for integrating complexities and arriving at a more rational design. This article will highlight four examples of how space becomes a defining element of a story.

the spot where they had lost the fugitive’s trail, they arranged spaces and walls differently from the dream, so she would be unable to escape again.

Each neighborhood of the city appeared to be made of a different substance, each seemed to have a different air pressure, a different psychic weight: the bright lights and shuttered shops, the housing projects and luxury hotels, the fire escapes and city parks. My futile task of sorting went on until the forms began to morph into each other and assume abstract shapes unrelated to the real city, and only then did my hectic mind finally show some pity and still itself, only then did dreamless sleep arrive.”

Space as protagonist From all the literature that exhaustively uses the built environment as not only the background for an evolving human drama, but as a character in itself, Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities must be the most famous one. The 55 cities that Marco Polo describes to Kublai Khan can by no means be thought of as descriptions of the urban space as built. They are imagined and perceived, even digested, and then told through found objects by a storyteller who does not share the language with the listener. The reader cannot know if they are misinterpretations, failed descriptions, truthful dreams or all of these, but they engender dream images of what a city can be.

“From there, after six days and seven nights, you arrive at Zobeide, the white city, well exposed to

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This was the city of Zobeide, where they settled, waiting for that scene to be repeated one night.

None of them, asleep or awake, ever saw the woman again. The city’s streets were streets where they went to work every day, with no link any more to the dreamed chase. Which, for that matter, had long been forgotten.

“That night I took the subway home, and instead of falling asleep immediately, I lay in bed, too tired to release myself from wakefulness, and I rehearsed in the dark the numerous incidents and sights I had encountered while roaming, sorting each encounter like a child playing with wooden blocks, trying to figure out which belonged where, which responded to which.

...

New men arrived from other lands, having had a dream like theirs, and in the city of Zobeide, they recognized something from the streets of the dream, and they changed the positions of arcades and stairways to resemble more closely the path of the pursued woman and so, at the spot where she had vanished, there would remain no avenue of escape.

The first to arrive could not understand what drew these people to Zobeide, this ugly city, this trap. “ Zobeide, Cities and Desire from Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities (1972)

“The sight of large masses of people hurrying down into underground chambers was perpetually strange to me, and I felt that all of the human race were rushing, pushed by a counterinstinctive death drive, into movable catacombs. Aboveground I was with thousand of others in their solitude, but in the subway, standing close to strangers, jostling them and being jostled by them for space and breathing room, all of us reenacting unacknowledged traumas, the solitude intensified. “ p. 6-7 in Teju Cole’s Open City (2012)

Space as mirror

Space as storyteller

In Teju Cole’s Open City, New York City transcends the role of the backdrop and becomes a means to describe the flux of being of the protagonist Julius. Wandering along the streets of Manhattan the built environment becomes the mirror reflecting and opening up unknown facets of his soul.

The city and its elements are there for Julius

Jack Kerouac, best known for his novel On the Road, composes spaces in such elaborated detail in his “sketches” published only in 2006 as Book of Sketches that they become narrational themselves. In 1951, after his friend Ed White suggested that he start sketching on the streets similarly to artists but with words, he took up the habit. His sketches open up the

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Raleigh St. Clair’s office in Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

lives of the people through the meticulously detailed descriptions of space. The medium of sketching with words permitted him to be fast and indifferent to grammar or constructing sentences and therefore extremely attentive towards the surroundings and its users and the way they blend in with each other.

“The diningroom of Carolyn Blak has a beautiful hardwood floor, varnished shiny, with occasional dark knots; the rag rug in the middle is woven by her mother of the historic socks, dresses & trousers of the Kerouac family in 2 decades, a weft of poor humanity in its pain & bitterness – The walls are pale pink plaster, not even pink, a pink-tinged pastel, the No Carolina afternoon aureates through the white Venetian blinds & through the red-pink plastic curtains & falls upon the plaster, with soft delicate shades – here, by the commode in

the corner, profound underwater pink; then, in the corner where the light falls flush, bright creampink that shows a tiny waving thread of spiderweb overlooked by the greedy housekeeper – So the white paint shining on the doorframes blends with the pink & pastel & makes a restful room.

The table is of simple plytex red surface, with matching little chairs covered in red plastic – But Oh the humanity in the souls of these chairs, this room – no words! no plastics to name it!” p. 36-37 Jack Kerouac Book of Sketches (2006) Similarly to Kerouac’s sketches, the spaces in the movies of the renowned director Wes Anderson are so painstakingly composed that they become narrational too. After seeing the characters in their appropriate environments, especially the domestic ones, there is not

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much else that could be said about them – their surroundings in all their elaborated detail reveal them entirely. The elements that make up the spaces in Wes Anderson’s movies are real, their combinations are imaginative. The spaces composed of these real elements are entireties that exceed the sum total of the elements - they become framed narratives oblivious to their surroundings.

In the introduction of the Wes Anderson book edited by Matt Zoller Seitz, Michael Chabon says: “Of course the worlds we build out of our store of fragments can be only approximations, partial and inaccurate. As representations of the vanished whole that haunts us, they must be accounted failures.

And yet in that very failure, in their gaps and inaccuracies, they may yet be faithful maps, accurate scale models, of this beautiful and broken world.” Spaces in stories do not have to stand on a foundation, they do not need to have emergency exits, their spatial logic might be deviated or, as some might even claim, impossible, but they are practiced and perceived and offer, as such, valuable insights.// >> Calvino, Italo. “Invisible Cities”. San Diego: Harcourt, Brace & Company, 1974. >> Cole, Teju. “Open City”. New York: Random House, 2012. >> Zoller Seitz, Matt. “Wes Anderson”. New York: Abrams, 2013. >> Kerouac, Jack. “Book of Sketches”. New York: Penguin Books, 2006.

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sensing place

Oerol festival ‘14 Antje Adriaens

During this years’ Oerol festival on Terschelling a group of Architecture students from TU Delft presented a project where the visitor was invited to shape his or her own spatial narrative.

During the spring fifteen students of architecture, landscape architecture and urbanism collaborated on a project to be presented during the 32nd edition of the theatre, music and dance festival Oerol, on Terschelling. As one of the expedition projects, it was located around the highest dune of the island, Kaapsduin. On a clear day both the lighthouse of Terschelling as well as the neighboring Ameland could be seen from this point. However, this ‘obvious’ viewpoint was not the only focus in the route that was

the telling. Instead, the spatial narrative is more about showing relinquishing control to the viewer/reader who must put together sequences, fill in the gaps, and decipher the meaning. “ By using the spatial narrative as a tool for transmitting information, the students did not decide for the visitors in which way to read the landscape. This also reflected in the way visitors responded to the project.

Feedback was collected by talking to visitors on their way back from the alone-time, on postcards they could send home at the end of

“the spatial narrative is about showing relinquishing control to the reader...” set out for the visitors. Accompanied by a set of tools, people were led from enclosed to open spaces, providing differing views on the dune landscape. Although the visitor was free to follow the route in own pace, with some companions, at some point they were individually taken of route for a personal experience. Here they were left behind in the dunes for a moment, with nothing but the landscape and their own thoughts. While not giving any information on the aim and duration of the event, it was intended to provide the viewer with the opportunity to project their own narrative onto the landscape.

The project moreover aimed to tell a story of the existing complex and dynamic dunelandscape, without giving an opinion on how the landscape should be treated in the future. As Potteiger and Purinton describe in their book “Landscape Narratives’, a narrative that has been created in space can be less linear and allows for more interpretation than a literary narrative, in which way the reading of it is different for every reader. “With few protocols for reading a landscape (...) the viewer enters at different points, is free to pause, take in the whole image, inspect its parts, or review. This changes the traditional relationship between author, text, and reader where the author exerts control over

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the route, and by listening to the stories they told eachother (friends, family, people they met on the route). What was reflected in these stories, sometimes related to the information on the changing dunelandscape, the types of birds or plants, or rather to the time alone in the nature. Considering the latter, most people had become calm and expressed gratitude, some even had extreme emotional responses, as they were reminded of a special person or event in their life. In this way the project succeeded in not giving a specific feeling or idea to the visitors but leaving the space for people to find their own meaning.

Although the project was initiated by students from an academic institution, the goal of the collection of feedback was not any set of hard data, rather the personal experience people had. As Potteiger and Purinton argue, the narrative is just as ‘true’ as any other way of representation. “While there is often deliberate intent to pass off the faux for some notion of the authentic, stories and fiction should not be equated with deception any more or less than photographs or maps are. As representations, they all necessarily mediate reality.” In this way the Oerol project has shown that the use of narratives could be a powerful tool in architectural projects to become more sensitive towards the human experience.//

kijken met woorden Thijs Bennebroek

Het is een onvermijdelijk moment in elk creatief proces. Je staart naar je tekeningen, krast er visieloos overheen en je ziet geen oplossingen meer. Je zit vast. Je hebt inspiratie nodig.

Nu valt inspiratie niet te forceren; ze is wel te zoeken.

Daar heeft ieder zijn eigen manieren voor. Zo zie je menig student rondstruinen door de bibliotheek, architectuurtijdschriften doorbladeren of foto’s op internet bekijken. Ik zou hier graag nog een minder voor de hand liggende manier aan willen toevoegen: het lezen van romans.

Verschillende schrijvers, zoals bijvoorbeeld Ayn Rand in the Fountainhead of Italo Calvino in Le città invisibili, hebben op een levendige, illustratieve manier over architectuur geschreven. En omdat zij zelf geen architecten waren, zijn hun verhalen geen droge onbegrijpelijke lappen tekst vol met onnodig complexe woorden (zodat je eigenlijk alleen naar de plaatjes wilt kijken). Integendeel, hun teksten zijn zó beeldig geschreven, dat illustraties je eigen fantasie alleen maar teniet zouden doen.

Maar misschien nog wel belangrijker, is dat zulke romans je dwingen vanuit een andere hoek, los van conventies en beperkingen, naar je vakgebied te kijken. Zo zie ik, sinds ik Calvino’s beschrijving van de stad Zaira gelezen heb, de schoonheid van een dakgoot in. Niet als een houten of metalen bak die een bepaalde inhoud en hoek moet hebben om water af te voeren en ook nog ergens aan moet worden opgehangen. Nee, als een element dat zo gelegen is dat de kat er waardig overheen wandelt om een venster met balustrade–dezelfde waar de echtbreker bij het ochtendgloren overheen klimt–te bereiken en hierdoor naar binnen te glippen.

Het prikkelen van je fantasie en je onderwerp vanuit een andere hoek bekeken, kan iemand zich betere inspiratie voorstellen?//

>> Oerol festival took place from 14 - 22 June 2014 >> Landscape Narratives, Potteiger & Purinton, 1998

strategies to expose

poetry in architecture Marthe van Gils

“Every great architect is - necessarily - a great poet.” says Frank Lloyd Wright. Not only literature and art expose themselves to poetic imagination. Architecture may be poetry as well. How can architects make use of style figures or meaning to create a poetic layer in their design?

In a 1976 lecture in Vienna on the biases in architecture Carlo Scarpa turned Frank Lloyd Wright’s statement that architecture may be poetry into a question. To this question, Scarpa answers: ‘But not always: architecture only sometimes is poetry. Society does not always ask for poetry. There is no need to think: I will make a poetic architecture. Poetry is born of the thing itself. ‘

The poetic The French philosopher Gaston Bachelard conducted research in the field of imagination.

He focused on poetic imagination in literature.

He realizes poetry comes into being through a game of rules. This theory is also applicable to architecture, as architecture can be seen as a game of rules. In architecture two types of rules can be distinguished. First, the rules imposed from the outside. These are the prerequisites that society sets. Second, the rules that the architecture constrains itself, which includes taboos, trends and standards

that relate to the tradition and architectural theory, and rules dealing with the systematic thinking in general. Self-defined rules can be established in two ways: through an emotional commitment, a fascination, and through a form of scientific curiosity. In the latter, the objectivity is enlarged and therefore coincidence gets the opportunity to influence the design process. An example from Iranian cinema makes clear that within a game of rules poetic alternatives can unfold. In this country it is forbidden to film women indoors without

But how do metaphors help us better understand the world and what makes a good metaphor? Metaphors think with the imagination and the senses. A metaphor is not true or untrue in any ordinary sense.

It is art, not science, but it can feel right or wrong. A metaphor that is not right leaves you confused. There is also a paradox in metaphors that they almost always say things that aren’t true. One of the most obvious places to find good metaphors is in poems.

a veil. That prohibition creates an unrealistic situation, because people in everyday life, inside, do not wear a veil. To film a scene where men and women meet each other at home, the director will have to look for alternatives ways of filming, such as zooming in on feet moving across the floor. The floor and the connections between the walls on the floor now become important. The poetry of this particular movement and the focus on the floor could never have been developed if the usual way of representation wasn’t forbidden.

Metaphors give words away to go beyond their meaning. It is a way to let you feel and know something differently, the immediate objectification of awareness in experience.

For most of us, the metaphor is a comparison in literature and poetry. Aside from poems, metaphors are frequently used to create context to understand complex problems.

Without rules there is no game, there is absolute freedom which is totally uninteresting. The self-formulated rules are designed to evoke themselves. As a corresponding effect poetic quality may arise.

Metaphors Another way to explore the poetic is by the use of style figures. Paradoxes and metaphors are common in literature and art, and are frequently used by architects as well.

According to the philosopher Nietzsche, the metaphor precedes language and understanding. The metaphor can interpret the unknown and imagine new experiences.

Thus the renaissance architect Alberti asks: “A city is according to philosophers nothing more than a big house, while a large house is nothing more than a small town.” He asks to move the attention and uses the metaphor to understand things better.

Bernard Tschumi, Exploded follie Parc de la Vilette

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Metaphors can be used in architecture both in an abstract and literal way. The abstraction can relate to both the program and the form.

In the first case, we can think of ‘the machine’ and in the latter of ‘the ruin’. An example of an abstract metaphor in literature is the haiku.

It is a 17-syllable Japanese poem with an open end, where only the essentials count. The following is an example:

The old pond A frog jumps in Splash!

Mies van der Rohe was probably one of the most outspoken “haiku-architects” but Shinohara, Ando and certainly Barragan belong to this group as well.

A very literal interpretation of a metaphorical image is often banal, but that is not necessarily true. A fine example of literal interpretation in architecture is demonstrated by Philippe Starck in the cutlery works of Laguiole in France. The different ways of dealing with metaphors depends on a different view

on things. This will vary from designer to designer, and is also dependent on time.

The idea that the architectural building refers to the human body emerges in an essay by Anthony Vidler entitled “The building in pain”. He stresses that with the exception of Le Corbusiers futile attempt to establish the basis for the Modulor, the long tradition of size and proportion of Vitruvius via Alberti, Filarete and Leonardo seems to have got lost.

It is interesting to note a recent return to the physical analogy in this context. Architects, as Coop Himmelblau, Tschumi and Libeskind are working with the body again. This innovative

Magritte, “La trahision des images’”

The shock which brings this observation about is related to the first banal surprise concerning the apparent contradiction, but also about the very fact that it had surprised us. approach on metaphors is clearly based on a body that is radically different from that of the humanist tradition. It is a body that seems to be fragmented. The building components are the projection of body parts, as for example organs.

The sublime At the beginning of the eighteenth century and later in the modern movement a spiritual component was added to this. This component has the ability to recall emotions of dread and fear. It is the narrative of the sublime. The fascination with the sublime began in landscape; however, Romantic poets soon began experimenting on it as well.

Where the beautiful refers to the balance between our imagination and understanding, the sublime expresses the conflict between our imagination and the absolute, and therefore reflects a negative lust.

Edmund Burke described the sublime as when danger or pain comes too close it is simply terrifying, but at some distance and some nuances it may be delightful. Imagine the fall of a bungee jumper, as he finds himself between heaven and earth. But right before

the fatal contact with the earth his downfall is slowed down and stopped.

The sublime belongs to some extent to the category of the uncanny, but there is a clear difference. The experience of the sublime is eventually accompanied by a restoration of confidence , while the uncanny continues to be mysterious and elusive. In addition, the sublime is linked to surrealism. Although surrealism has never bothered aesthetic principles, because it was a revolt against conventions and rules, we can discover the element of the imminent body in it.

The painting “La trahision des images” of Magritte shows a pipe with the painted text “This is not a pipe”. The shock which brings this observation about is related to the first banal surprise concerning the apparent contradiction (a painted pipe is not a real pipe), but also about the very fact that it had surprised us. The text demonstrates that our perception is influenced by the imagination.

Something we already knew, but were suddenly made aware of again. Magritte’s strategy, like that of other surrealists, has the effect of a momentary shock, because the images are temporarily isolated from

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the known relationship between signs and significance. The known body is questioned and thus exerts an impending operation of.

In architecture of Kiesler, Coop Himmelblau and Tschumi, for example, the sublime is in the strangeness of the objects itself. They want to liberate the architecture of the form to emphasise its own expression. Tschumi found this essence in the design of the Parc de la Villette in Paris, by exploding the program and putting it back together in a grids of points, lines and planes. In this game of explosions the follies play the major role.

The follies are independent of time and place, and so create an architecture that refers only to itself. It is an architecture that sits on the border between life and death, which brings us back to the bungee jumper: the jump to death as the ultimate affirmation of life.

The game of Tschumi causes only events.

Understanding the event does not matter as, only the pleasure of the experience counts.

In the poetic universe ordinary things can suddenly become significant, because we see them differently. They connect with each other in an abnormal way, which operates between creator and reader and sometimes results in beautiful poetic architecture.// >> Poezie en gelaagdheid in arcthiectuur. Hans Cornelissen >> The art of the Metaphor. Janse Hirshfield >> Scarpa cit in DalCo-Mazzariol, 1987

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Kowloon walled city

wild west in the far east Bernard Oussoren

The rise and fall of an ungoverned settlement that caused one of the most interesting and obscene socio-architectural experiments of the 20th century. A narrative on the most crowded place on earth.

The Kowloon district, north of Hong Kong Island, is one of the most historic sites in its territory. It contains a story that is unique to the rest of the world, as it is layered and full of cultural value. Today, the Kowloon Walled City Park occupies by far the most fascinating site in the area. Laid out with pavilions, gardens and floral walks it reflects the tranquility of the Jiangnan garden style. However, the park conceals an obscure past. Up until 1993 this area of 2 hectares accommodated 33.000 residents and was known to be the most

1847, formidable granite walls were erected around the base for defense against Britain.

Yet despite China’s efforts, it was the joined strength of France and Britain in the Second Opium War that sealed the fate of the outpost. The following Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory in 1898 “leased” additional parts of Hong Kong and the Kowloon peninsula (the New Territories) for 99 years, but excluded the Walled City. A clause allowed Chinese jurisdiction to remain there, as long as officials did not interfere with

new communist regime. Refugees flooded into Hong Kong, many drawn to the crowded Chinese enclave. Population exploded, creating a symbiosis where all types and ranks of people participated. Small businesses like workshops and restaurants flourished, a water supply system was built and concrete dwellings were constructed. They laid the foundation for the structure most people envisage today. These constructions transformed courtyards into dark cavities and streets became artificially lit tunnels. Not

densely populated urban settlement in the world. Kowloon Walled City. A labyrinth of countless interlinking dwellings, stairs and corridors. This grimy establishment now lives on in media and pop culture, but its actual story is ever so intriguing.

the defense of British Hong Kong. At that time it had a population of roughly 700, but was slowly abandoned, making the Walled City a curiosity for British colonials and tourists. On top of that, Japanese occupators during WWII pillaged the city and reused the granite walls to expand the nearby Kai Tak Airport. By 1940, only three buildings were still intact.

surprisingly, the City’s ambiguous legal status was also a magnet for organized crime, mainly a criminal syndicate known as Triads. During the 60´s and 70´s the Walled City became an informal self-governed community, untouchable by any other authority. It became an environment where during the day children played in the same streets prostitutes and junkies roamed by night.

Wars and conquest The origin of the Walled City can be traced back to a garrison at the City’s site, where it was used to manage the salt trade around the year 1200. Centuries later, during the Qing Dynasty, the threat of British colonization unchained the First Opium War (1839-1842).

Defeated, Qing Emperor Daoguang ceded Hong Kong Island to the British by the Treaty of Nanjing. To counter further British advance, the Chinese strengthened their defense near enemy territory and the old garrison near Hong Kong island was perfectly suitable for this. As a result, the garrison in the Kowloon peninsula became a military outpost for maritime defense. Completed in

1898 - 700 inh.

1940 - 2000 inh.

1950 - 5000 inh.

Organized chaos

Culmination

After WWII, China sent over two thousand squatters to the Walled City in a last attempt to keep jurisdiction over the fraction of Kowloon territory. Under Chinese protection, these squatters made the area their home and started building dwellings wherever they could. This rapid expansion forced Britain to adopt a “hands-off” policy in most matters concerning the Walled City, leaving its population to absolute lawlessness.

Matters worsened when Mao Zedong declared the People’s Republic of China in 1949, persecuting anyone who opposed the

1973 - 10.000 inh.

1980 - 30.000 inh.

Only 4 years after Britain declared to “give back” Hong Kong to China in 1984, the uncontrolled madness was abruptly stopped.

Plans were made public by Chinese authorities to demolish the complex and relocating the 50.000 inhabitants through a 3.2 billion Hong Kong dollar compensation program. Luckily, time was left for complete documentation of this intriguing community. Aaron Tan, now the director of Hong Kong firm Research Architecture Design, was surprised by the way the Walled City had functioned all those

1990 - 50.000 inh.

The climactic growth of the Walled City over the centuries. Each dot in the banner above represents an inhabitant.

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1993 - 0 inh.

Some rooftops were used for excercise, playgrounds, relaxing or even pigeon racing.

Electric pumps delivered water to rooftop tanks from the 77 wells inside the city. Many pipes brought the water to the individual households. Out of all the wells, only one was located on groundlevel.

There also were several schools in the complex, so local scholars could remain within its boundries at all times.

The City counted around 700 industrial and Electric wiring

crafting premises at

was placed

its hight. Most were

on the outer

found between 1st

facade to

and 5th floor.

prevent fires.

Thanks its the lack of authority, the Walled City became notorious for its gambling dens and brothels.

years. He was fascinated by the alternative ways inhabitants had to used to face common challenges, especially the water system. To support its dense poplation, residents dug extra wells and built thousands of pipes that twisted through the building. But since directing water to the City’s roof tanks required alot of power, the people would take turns conserving electricity so that water could be shared successfully. Other ingenious systems were observed to face the challenges of fighting fires and healthcare. The City’s reputation as a slum sadly didn’t do it justice.

It was a perpetual work in progress, a place of inspiration for architects and planners. It was vital and vibrant. An architectural criterion for ideas about ungoverned urbanism. For instance, many architects and planners love control, but allowing disorientation and accidental conduct also improves daily life.

Organic chaos benefits the concept of careful planning. The importance of this relic from a frantic past is that we still talk about it today. The dialogue about urban planning is refreshed by the Walled City’s story. Even more than twenty years after its demolition. One

of its essential lessons it can teach us is that, according to Aaron Tan: “Every city realizes too late to start caring about their architectural heritage. It’s a mistake that gets repeated everywhere. By the time you start caring about it, it’s too late to save it.”// >> http://projects.wsj.com/kwc/#chapter=life >> http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/31/travel/kowloonwalled-city/ >> http://www.flabber.nl/linkdump/plaatjes/zeldzamefotos-van-kowloon-walled-city-13457

“When we met this Walled City, we started to see that people could be more intelligent than us, the designers - that they could think of ways to solve problems that are outside the traditional academic world.” - Aaron Tan

Children playing on the rooftops, the only source of sun-lit public space within the City.

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n a r r a t i v e // s t y l o s // g e n e r a l

Technische boekhandel Waltman is een van de oudere boekhandels in Nederland. Sinds de oprichting in 1863 heeft de boekhandel zich gespecialiseerd in technische en wetenschappelijk literatuur, studieboeken, populair wetenschappelijke boeken, en is er op de faculteit Bouwkunde een ruim assortiment aan kantoor-, maquette- en tekenartikelen.

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urban literacy

Klaske Havik on narrative Isabel Potworowski

Klaske Havik’s recently published doctoral work, Urban Literacy, explores the application of literary tools for the field of architecture. In this interview, she discusses the ways in which a narrative approach to architecture can offer new ways of understanding the site, its users, and of approaching design.

Isabel: How did you become interested in the topic of urban literacy, and narratives in particular?

Klaske Havik: For me it was quite natural, because architecture and literature are parallel activities that I’ve always been involved with.

I’ve always been reading and writing a lot, and next to my architectural studies I studied at a literature school in Amsterdam, a kind of art academy for writers. We had many writing assignments, including, prose, poetry, drama and film script. Within architecture, my core interest has always had to do with how we relate to places: why is it that some buildings, places, streets, squares or landscapes stay in our minds, make an impression, or stir associations or emotions, and some others don’t? I noticed that in literature, whether in novels or poems, writers are very capable of describing or evoking these kinds of relations between people and their environment. So when I was given the challenge to do PhD research here, then it was very natural for me to try to see how these two interests could

be fruitful for architects: what can we learn from the writer’s gaze, from how they look at places, from the kinds of details, situations or activities that they describe, and what role does architecture play in these narratives?

the whole process of reading is linear. Within this narrative, between page 1 and page 260, you might have many lapses in time, and you might be going back in time to memories of the protagonist, or you might be going

“Why is it that some buildings, places, streets, squares or landscapes stay in our minds, make an impression, or stir associations or emotions, and some others don’t?”

In your book, you give a definition of narrative as “a composition of sequences, a structure along which events take place.” This definition suggests a kind of linearity. How, then, does it negotiate the actual complex and non-linear structure of events? And can a parallel be drawn with routing in architecture?

If you consider script, film, or the way a novel is constructed, it is linear to the extent that you start reading somewhere and you end reading somewhere. But it doesn’t mean that

to other places. Many things can happen within these pages. In architecture, some buildings have a clear, determined routing, but a route can also be full of conflicts, or obstacles, or different views and perspectives.

So while there is an order, it isn’t necessarily chronological, and there could be multiple possibilities. For instance, UN Studio made a museum in Nijmegen, Het Valkhof. It’s a very simple box, but the interior is made of many small angled walls, creating different routes. The architects didn’t lay out a plan for the visitor, but deliberately challenge you to make your own route. You can do it very systematically, by first taking this axis, and then the next, and the next, or you can go through it very randomly.

This kind of framework that triggers you to construct your own narrative seems to link with the notion of potentiality that you describe in your book. You give Tschumi’s project for La Villette as an example.

Exactly. What he’s doing is superimposing three different layers, and not suggesting a predefined route or way to use this park, but allowing for – even inviting or provoking – unexpected and unpredictable meetings.

It’s not his intention to present one narrative.

Rather, as an architect, he sees his role as providing the conditions for different narratives. During the conference The Narrative of Landscape in Lausanne, there was a discussion at some point about open and closed narratives. Richard Sennett, during his talk, described the Victorian novel: it has

Klaske Havik. Image from writingplace.org

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a clear build-up, and the reader knows more or less what to expect. This quality can have value as well. But there are also narratives like those of Calvino, or of others of the Oulipo literary movement that experiment with the element of the unexpected. The whole fun in reading such a book is that you may expect something, but it may be just slightly different.

Richard Sennett was referring to that when he said that he is always writing in two ways: as a sociologist on the one hand (The Fall of Public Man, Flesh and Stone, and many other books), and on the other hand, being involved with literature and novels. He said that the one was for him very closed, rigid, scientific, and so on, and that the other was much more open.

And he said that maybe, in our contemporary condition, we have a need to open up our narratives, and think of aspects like chance and indeterminacy. I think that, as architects, we can work with both: sometimes the closed narrative can be very helpful in explaining something, in making something very clear; although as a design approach, I think that the experiment with openness and chance has a way of influencing what is happening.

One of the challenges of designing public spaces is the uncertainty of how such an “open” space might be used. How can we predict how the public might experience or react to certain design decisions?

There are many different tools that you can use, also from literature. One method that I’ve proposed is what I call “evocative descriptions” of spaces. In literature, public spaces are usually not described very objectively.

There’s always something going on: it’s either crowded or very silent, it might be night or day, it might be rainy, there might be a lot of activity, maybe there’s a revolution taking place, or maybe it’s totally deserted. There are many ways to describe the same place, and there are many factors that influence the way in which this space is experienced and described. It has to do with the materiality, with the way that your footsteps sound on the stone (but that you might not hear if there are a thousand people murmuring at the same time), the way the light is filtered through the trees, the noise of traffic or of church bells, and many other things. These sensory experiences are cause by the space itself: by its

materiality and dimensions, by the proximity of traffic, by the presence or absence of trees, etc. There are also other aspects like the seasons, the time of day, and the activities taking place. As a designer, you rely on your own imagination of these situations, and it may help to describe a number of them. If it is an evening in November, it’s raining and there are three people passing the square, how would you describe it? What would be its materiality? What would be the presence of objects or street furniture or whatever it is

for them to meet. Of course, these diagrams weren’t based on factual information, but they had sufficient input from this sociology research, and they had the experience of being in the neighbourhood for quite some time, allowing them to make reasonable predictions. For instance, they could imagine when the kid would go to school, where he would go after school, if he would play football at the square, or join his mother at the market. Once they had drawn these diagrams, they started to bring in other programs or

“Describing a site from many different perspectives, or describing your design from many different situations helps you to test your ideas.” that you’re designing? Describing a site from many different perspectives, or describing your design from many different situations helps you, somehow, to test your ideas. What we did as well with students is what I call transcriptive or narrative exercises, where they experimented with other characters, for instance. There was a project we did in The Hague, in Transvaal, one of these quite problematic areas where there’s the Hague market and many social and economic problems. The graduation studio was working on the site, and the housing corporation provided a house where the students could stay. So for a period of two months, they could work from that house and really be part of the neighbourhood. We’ve done this kind of work on several occasions. This time, there

events. For example, what if we would have a big public library? Or what if the tram stop would be more than a tram stop, but would become a kind of meeting point with shops and other things? Or what if we relocate the market? Based on these multiple scenarios, they started to re-write the characters’ stories.

So would this widow, who lived there her whole life, change her trajectory if some additions or changes were made to the area?

What they tried to do was to increase the amount of moments and situations in which people could meet to have a more inclusive or interactive public space. That’s one example of how you could think about public spaces by means of narrative: constructing multiple stories, trying to see where they coincide, and how they could be redirected.

was a group that came up with four different characters – different lifestyles, let’s say. They had inspiration from this housing corporation, and from research that had been done by sociologists about the different lifestyles of this group. One of these characters was a little boy from a Turkish family who was born there, grew up there, and went to school. Another was a widow who lived there by herself, and who witnessed the whole neighbourhood change. For each of the four characters, the students made a movie depicting 24 hours of their life in the neighbourhood. Then, they made diagrams showing when they would be in public space, when they would be in private space, and what would be the possibilities

I would like to discuss your teaching in the Methods and Analysis studio. How do you introduce narrative as an approach to both research and design? And how do you see the connection between research and design?

What we try to do in MSc1, for instance, is not to have a clear-cut difference between research and design. We start from a rather large area, usually a kind of landscape of production. Now we’re working with MSc1 students in Genk, a former mining town. We don’t depart from a problem or brief. Instead, we start from an area, and from a number of research questions related to that area.

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This could be a question about the quality of public space, it could be a question about how we can accommodate new types of living, or it could be a question about the re-use of former industrial buildings. These questions depend, of course, on what is relevant for the area being investigated. Each group of students picks one of these questions to focus on. What we do in Methods and Analysis is to offer analytical and projective tools. In the first phase the emphasis is towards the analytical, and when we turn to design it becomes more projective. For instance, in the analytical phase, one of the first tools that we often use is the section. Of course, every architect knows how to use a section. But what is the section of a larger landscape? How could you dissect social practices with it? In a project we did in the Westland area, students first made sections showing how the land is built up, a sort of geological or topographical section.

Then, they dissected the landscape in an experiential way. They made a line through the landscape, followed it, and noted what they encounter, what the perspectives are, what the materials are, and what the experiences are. After working with the section, we move to narrative. One group made six different characters that they observed in the Westland area, including the farmers of the greenhouses, the local youth, and the guest workers, many of them coming from Poland.

They then tried to find out as much as possible about each of these groups. Each group had certain aspects that were important to them, and each had their own collective spaces as well. As another example, our Antwerp studio dealt with the question of atmosphere. One group of students went to the site, and each of them took a different route through it.

They wrote down their experiences, and they found the points of intersection between their trajectories. They then made a series of ten collages depicting different moments of their walks. They printed these collages on transparencies and arranged them in a line in a large wooden box, so that you could see all the collages together. The intersections between their trajectories were the public spaces of the area. So through their own stories about their walks through the space, they found a tool to map these atmospheres, and to make them, let’s say, transcend the

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merely subjective. This narrative exercise, like the section exercise, is quite open. We give them some ideas of how narratives could work, and we leave students quite free in how they interpret that tool. Some students try to find historical narratives, others interview people, and still others find ways to create possibilities for new narratives. From these kinds of exercises, we gradually move from exploring and understanding the area and research question to defining a project brief.

For instance, a group may have been thinking of new types of living in the Westland area, and they studied certain aspects of the site, and they want to create new types of living

than just a horizontal line, or the lowest line on your section. So what we do in the Methods and Analysis chair is to challenge the preconceptions and habits that we have as architects. We interrogate how our conventional tools, such as the section, can be used in different ways, and how we can develop new creative methods for analysis and design. The idea is how we can question our methods, how we can read the sites that we’re working on, what tools we have to work with, and what position we can take as an architect. Literary tools are thus part of the large range of tools that we work with, and that can provide new perspectives.

“What we do in the Methods and Analysis chair is to challenge the preconceptions and habits that we have as architects.” between or in the greenhouses, re-using them partly for more domestic purposes such as winter gardens.

So, in comparison with the typical Delft design approach that begins with the brief, what you’re proposing is to go back to see how the brief can be something that really fits into the experiential and social character of a place.

Exactly.

How does this method continue into the design phase?

We also propose different tools and methods for the design phase, which might be about sequence, for instance. So once students have arrived at a brief, we ask them to think only in sequences for a week, to draw and write sequences, and in this way determine the sequence of perception, or the sequence of use that they would like to develop. We also do this by limiting, as an exercise, the architectural elements that you can work with. Before there’s even a very clear design, we ask students to think for one week only about the floor. What is the floor? Is it ground, or is it existing floors, or does it have to do with the horizon, or where you are located in relation to other buildings, or in relation to the landscape? A floor can be much more

n a r r a t i v e // s t y l o s // g e n e r a l

What aspects of narrative would you like to explore in the future?

I think that what I did in the Urban Literacy book was to give a very broad overview of possibilities, and I think that within each of the three perspectives (description, transcription, prescription), there is still a lot to be developed. For instance, the notion of atmosphere is something that I would like to further explore. It came up with the research we did, that continued in OASE, with Peter Zumthor and the workshop with Juhani Pallasmaa. It is something that I would also like to bring into the studio. It’s very vague, but at the same time so important to the way we perceive spaces. I would like to explore it in relation to urban spaces: how can we read these atmospheres? How can we write them?

How can we produce them? That’s something that I find really interesting to further explore in terms of narrative approaches to architecture.//

recommended reading Nina Bohm

nai010 // 2014 // 29,50 // 256 pages

010 publishers // 2012 // 24,50 // 192 pages

L.J. Veen // 1981 // 12,50 // 169 pages

Urban Literacy Klaske Havik, Juhani Pallasmaa

Narrative Spaces Herman Kossman, Suzanne Mulder, Frank den Oudsten

Invisible Cities Italo Calvino

This recently published book of our own professor Klaske Havik discusses how literature offers valuable ways to become aware of how people experience, use and imagine places.//

Narrative Spaces is about exhibition design.

Exhibitions are narrative environments in which the designer has to translate often complex and scientific objectives into an engaging spatial narrative that can comprise a mix of wide-ranging media and communicational strategies. //

In this book Marco Polo tells his padrone, Kublai Kan, about his travel adventures in foreign cities. What the emperor does not know is that these are fictive cities and they all refer to Venice.//

>> read more on pages 12-14

nai010 // 2012 // 19,50 // 216 pages

>> read more on pages 17

Delft University Press // 2000 // 180 pages

Penguin // 1943 // 9,99 // 704 pages

Het Ontwerpgesprek Jacob Voorthuis

Poëzie en Gelaagdheid in architectuur Hans Cornelissen

The Fountainhead Ayn Rand

The built environment shows the presence of man on earth in an intriguing way. The built says something about how people in general and the designer in particular look to the world. ‘Het Ontwerpgesprek’ is an introduction to philosophical thinking about building in its social cohesion.//

This book is about a comparisson between stylefigures in literature and architecture.

Through examples of architectural projects that make use of these stylefigures Cornelissen explains the ambiguity of this strategy. //

The Fountainhead is the most famous novel of the American writer Ayn Rand. Her book on the life of the architect Howard Roark displays her ideas on rationalism and individualism.

In conservative circles in America Ayn Rand’s objectivism still is of big influence.//

>> read more on pages 6-7

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paradoxale combinatie

van taal en ruimte Anneloes Kattemölle

De wederzijdse relatie tussen het verbale en het visuele: het domein van de architect wordt in verhalen vaak zeer gedetailleerd beschreven. Maar ook een literaire benadering van de architectuur kan bij onderzoek en zelfs in het architectonisch ontwerp denkbaar zijn.

Literatuur en architectuur lijken twee verschillende media te zijn: de taal versus de ruimte. Toch ervaren architectuur en literatuur de wereld op dezelfde manier. Ze houden zich beide bezig met het creëren van sfeer, van een bepaalde beleving. Literatuur doet dat met woorden, zinnen, verhalen. Het reikt de lezer handvatten aan, maar uiteindelijk is het de fantasie die woorden tot beelden maakt.

Natuurlijk stuurt de schrijver deze fantasie, maar toch zal elke lezer de gelezen woorden anders interpreteren en daardoor anders beleven.

In de architectuur spelen elementen als materiaal en licht de rol van het woord. De architect gebruikt deze elementen om een compositie te maken. Toch is de beleving voor elke bezoeker uniek, maar gestuurd door de architect. Gevraagd hoe je in zijn hermetische bouwsels moet komen, heeft Lebbeus Woods eens gezegd dat je je erin moest verliezen. Er zijn nog meer architecten die, zoals Woods, niet voor de logische controle van de ruimte willen vechten maar te werk gaan met de list van de verbeelding.

Naast deze vrij directe vergelijking tussen literatuur en architectuur overlappen de twee domeinen elkaar ook in ander opzicht. Juist literatuur biedt essentiële informatie over de manier waarop ruimte ervaren wordt, over de rol van tijd, over de rol van herinnering en verbeelding. De relatie tussen de mens en zijn omgeving, het domein van de architect, wordt immers in romans en verhalen vaak zeer gedetailleerd en treffend beschreven.

stelt Lefebvre dat de geleefde ruimte, de manier waarop ruimte beleefd en herinnerd wordt door zijn gebruikers. Wanneer bestaande literatuur dergelijke inzichten kan bieden, kan een literaire benadering van de architectuur, waarbij instrumenten uit de literatuur gebruikt worden, ook bij onderzoek en zelfs ook in het architectonisch ontwerp denkbaar zijn.

Ondanks dat architectuur en literatuur de wereld op dezelfde manier ervaren, reageren

“I can’t honestly say where the inspiration for my work came from. I think it came from reading. It came from texts, from Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, it came from, you know, Jean-Paul Sartre. ” - Lebbeus Woods Verschillende theoretici verwijzen naar literatuur, in de vorm van verhalen, romans of poëzie, als een belangrijke bron van informatie over de perceptie van ruimte, over de manier waarop mensen hun omgeving ervaren. Zo

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ze hier ieder anders op. Ze trekken andere conclusies en gooien blikken in andere richtingen. Het expliciete zeggen van de literatuur tegenover het ingehouden zwijgen van de architectuur. Literatuur zoekt de

n a r r a t i v e // s t y l o s // g e n e r a l

vervreemding op, terwijl architectuur juist een veilige basis wil bieden. De architectuur streeft beschutting en comfort na, terwijl de literatuur precies een absolute blootstelling nastreeft. Tegelijk blootstellen en beschutten, dat is een paradoxale combinatie.

Hoe kan de architect ook een schrijver zijn? Of andersom? Juist als de combinatie zo paradoxaal is. Typografie zie ik als een combinatie tussen beide: het geschrift en de ruimte. Typografie heeft de eigenschap meer uit te drukken dan alleen de boodschap die de tekst in zich draagt. Het overlapt de domeinen verbeelding en literatuur. Ik stel mij voor dat typografie de juiste beleving bij de mens weet op te roepen, doordat zij elementen als ervaring, herinnering, verbeelding en perceptie op waarde weet te schatten.// >> “Architectuur & Literatuur”, De Gids, 2004 >> “La production de l’espace”, Anthropos, 1974 >> “Lebbeus Woods”, EGS Publications, 2012/ >> “Literaire benadering in de architectuur”, Motusarchitects, 2007

Literatuur & Architectuur (tekst en afbeelding: “Underground Berlin” Lebbeus Woods, illustratie: Anneloes Kattemölle)

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chairman’s note Niels Franssen

As I am writing this, it is the end of the summer.

Autumn is coming, the benches of Lecture Hall A have been renewed and they are filled with another enthusiastic group of future engineers. In other words: we have started the academic year again.

However, even though the students of our faculty have (re)started their study, you will find me this entire year in the office of Stylos, together with the rest of the 121st board of our study association.

Last year the 120th board had an eventful lustrum year. The celebration of the 24th lustrum included a huge number of diverse activities. For example, in December we had a gala on the top floor of the ‘Haagse Toren’. In March we held a 24H Design Contest in Tropicana, an abandoned tropical swimming pool. The celebration of the association’s birthday was a week-long party combined with a symposium about all aspects of monumental architecture. More recently, a group of 28 architecture students went on a big study trip, all over South Korea and Japan. We also received a great new group of motivated freshmen during the SteeOwee, our association’s introduction weekend.

The Faculty of Architecture and the Build Environment also has been through a lot of changes this past year. Unfortunately we had to say goodbye to our dean Karin Laglas. She has accepted a job as the chairman of the board of direction of Ymere, a big housing corporation. At the same time, we are proud to welcome Hans Wamelink, who will be walking around the hallways of BK City as our new acting dean. The renovations of BK City are making a lot of progress. The BK City STAY project is already in phase two and in the next summer the renovation will be completed.

After last year’s busy lustrum, Stylos has a lot free space this year to set up a new set of events. For instance, somewhere around the first week of April, Stylos will organise a business day, where students and companies have the chance to get in touch with each other. You can read about this event and the other things we have planned for the coming year on this page.//

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nieuwe

commissies

Board 121

Een nieuw academisch jaar betekent ook een nieuw begin voor de commissies van Stylos. Commissieleden organiseren de activiteiten waar de rest van de studenten van kunnen genieten.

Het scala aan commissies van het aankomend jaar is grotendeels overgenomen van voorgaande jaren, maar we hebben er ook enkele aan toegevoegd. Met deze commissies proberen we een nog gevarieerder aanbod van activiteiten te bieden zodat er voor elke bouwkundestudent het komende jaar genoeg te doen is.

!

Grafische commissie

MediaCo / Jaarboek

Vorig jaar waren deze twee samen, dit jaar worden ze van elkaar los gehaald. De MediaCo zal zich focussen op het vastleggen van de activiteiten van Stylos door middel van film en fotografie. Deze zullen vervolgens beschikbaar gemaakt worden op onze eigen Facebookpagina (scan de QR-code!) evenals op Flickr en YouTube.

Als bouwkundestudent ben je tijdens je studie veel bezig met het presenteren van je eigen projecten. Het belang van een goed uitziende poster wordt al in de eerste jaren duidelijk tijdens de vele presentaties voor de ontwerpprojecten. Dit jaar zal er een grafische commissie van start gaan, die zich intensief bezig gaat houden met het grafisch vormgeven van het promotiemateriaal van Stylos. Ook zal er aandacht besteed worden aan het organiseren van workshops over grafisch vormgeven. Één van de eerste uitdagingen zal het ontwerpen van een eigen commissielogo zijn.

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Bedrijvendag

Sinds de economische crisis is het vinden van een baan voor afgestudeerden met het jaar lastiger geworden. Het is daarom belangrijker dan ooit voor studenten om al vroeg te beginnen met het uitbreiden van hun netwerk, om zo hun eigen kans in de banenmarkt te vergroten. Als Stylos willen we hier graag bij helpen, en daarom zijn we voor de zomer begonnen met het opzetten van een bedrijvendagcommissie.

Deze commissie zal het komende jaar een evenement organiseren dat zich focust op een ontmoeting tussen het bedrijfsleven en de bachelor- en masterstudenten op de faculteit.

De dag zal een mix worden van speeddates, een infomarkt, workshops en lezingen.

n a r r a t i v e // s t y l o s // g e n e r a l

Op de hoogte blijven van activiteiten en foto’s? Like de Facebookpagina!

De Jaarboekcommissie zal het gedurende het jaar de documentatie van de activiteiten van Stylos verzamelen. Uiteindelijk zullen zij alles bundelen in een prachtig boek dat over een jaar of 30 veel stof heeft verzameld in de kast, maar een geweldige herinnering zal zijn aan onze studententijd.

Skilos

De skireis was vorig jaar een denderend succes, waardoor we er dit jaar eigenlijk niet omheen konden. Begin februari zal er een tweede editie plaatsvinden waarin aprèsski, veel sneeuw, en een gezellige groep bouwkundestudenten bij elkaar komen.

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24H Design Contest

Wat kan jij bereiken in 24 uur? We weten allemaal dat bouwko’s weinig slapen de laatste paar dagen voor een deadline, maar dit evenement tilt doorzettingsvermogen naar een nóg hoger level. Één opdracht, één locatie, en een aantal studententeams. Wie maakt het beste ontwerp en wie wint de 24H Design Contest in 2015? De 24H-commissie zal zich de komende tijd bezig gaan houden met het vinden van een opdracht en een locatie, zodat deze slopende activiteit net zo’n succes kan worden als het afgelopen jaar.//

symposium

the last lectures Veerle Alkemade

There is something strangely addicting about listening to the success stories of others. They’re motivational, inspirational and generally reassuring. At the end of last academic year, the Symposium committee decided to set up their own series of inspirational talks titled: ‘The Last Lectures.’

In 2007, virtual reality professor Randy Pausch, from Carnegie Mellon University, became an Internet sensation after giving a lecture titled “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.”

Randy Pausch suffered from pancreatic cancer, and at the time he only had a few months to live. In his lecture, which came to be known as “The Last Lecture,” he shared his life lessons with the audience, focussing on how to see the good in others, how to work hard to overcome obstacles and how to generously.

Also in 2007, NED 3 started a television series titled College Tour in which students get the opportunity to ask any question they want to a well-known professional. This series has featured guests such as astronaut André Kuipers, entertainer Robbie Williams and Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. Every episode ends with the final question for the guests: “What advice would you give to the students and the viewers at home?

Both of these events inspired the Symposium committee to set up their own inspirational lecture series here at the faculty. In order to

figure out which professionals to invite for an inspirational lecture, we hung up a big poster in front of Stylos. Via Post-It notes people could let us know their preference.

Finally, Maartje Lammers and Boris Zeisser, the co-founders of 24H Architecture, both gave an individual lecture. Whereas they work together, it was clear that they both had their own opinions and ideas about the field

The first person to share his life lessons with us was Harm Tilman, the editor-in-chief of Dutch magazine ‘de Architect’. Especially in the discussion he gave us interesting insights

they work in. Boris’ explained the importance of designing buildings that support the environment, instead of harming it. Maartje focused on the struffles and opportunities

“What wisdom would you share with the world, if it was the last chance you had?” into how the current changes in the world are affecting the role of architecture and the built environment in general.

Second in the series was Hubert-Jan Henket, co-founder of BiermanHenket architects. In his lecture he pledged for a return of the allround architect.’ With this he meant one who didn’t simply draw and design but one who is in charge of the entire building process.

she faced as a woman working in a field full of men. “I don’t want to work with crooks and thieves anymore,” she concluded firmly. “I want to make architecture that comes from the heart.”//

Pictures taken at three of the lectures.

n a r r a t i v e // s t y l o s // g e n e r a l

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study trip

Korean design Willie Vogel

You cannot call a study trip a ‘study trip’ without engaging in educational exercises. Henri van Bennekom, had contacted one of the Soongsil University in Seoul where we had a great workshop.

They did so much more for us: When we arrived in South Korea we were kindly greeted by professor Jungin Kim from the university of Seoul. Along with him were a couple of students who introduced us to Korean food.

During the following days, they guided us and gave us a sneak peak of Seoul. We visited several buildings, traditional and modern alike, and we attended several lectures: by iArc architects, who built the new city hall of Seoul, and by Peter Ferretto, about typical Korean architecture, like all the churches on

of? These questions may seem banal, but proved very difficult to answer. The differences in culture, and also the different ways of education appeared to make a big difference in the design process. We would not say we are more creative, but the way of showing is very different. We want to make buildings that we imagine, while they listen more to all the parties involved in the process. We gave some examples and told what we in Western Europe would do with such apartment blocks, and our input helped a lot. Afterwards, we discussed

every other street corner. We also told some things about ourselves, our university and the way it works. After we had shown some of our projects, they showed us the small presentations they had prepared. Some were about architectural projects, while others were about the typical Korean way of living, like plastic surgery and the Gaypop scene.

Following the presentations, we were invited to have Korean barbeque in the traditional way: without a chair, but with good sake. For

the things that we wanted to change, such as adding more green and more public spaces, and what typologies could be possible, such as row houses.

After a break of rice and kimchi, we started putting the presentation together using the familiar media of foam and powerpoint. After a long day of intensive work, a real ‘Bouwko’day, it was time to get inspired by all the good ideas and concepts. Some groups let the old

“We want to make buildings that we imagine, whereas they listen more to all the other parties involved in the process. “ the diehards there was the chance to go to a typical Korean spa, the jjimjilbang, which was a great experience and for everyone a real recommendation!

On the third day of our trip, we went to the university itself. We were separated into several groups that combined Dutch and Korean students. Henri gave an introductory lecture to the exercise. The chosen project site was a typical Korean neighborhood: a cluster of roughly 30-story apartment buildings, with green areas in between. Our challenge was to reconsider these living circumstances, and to improve them if possible. There were several questions to consider: Firstly, what is the opinion of the Koreans? What would they want to change? How do they like to live?

What are their ideals, what do they dream

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n a r r a t i v e // s t y l o s // g e n e r a l

buildings remain and gave them different functions for public spaces, others made a modern/traditional house. They used for example the natural airconditioning from the hanok houses, but in a 30 floor building.

Everyone was tired but we were really happy and satisfied with the results.

To celebrate our last day and the end of the presentations, the students invited us for a traditional Korean fish dish. They brought us to a big old fishmarket where you can choose a living fish that is then prepared on the spot.

It doesn’t get much fresher than that! In all, our time in Seoul was intense, enjoyable and educative.//

study trip

fruitful cultural exchange ir. Henri van Bennekom

When invited by the organizational committee to guide the ‘Stylos Grote Reis’ study trip to South Korea and Japan, I instantly sensed their intense will to really get to know the places we would visit.

Perhaps the best way to really get to know a place is to meet its local people and spend time with them.

To see how they work and live, learn where their culture and traditions derive from, and understand what their physical context implies for their way of living.

Therefore, I proposed three things to be organized for this study trip. In addition to assigning each traveler the task of preparing a text for our excursion booklet and then being a guide at the site itself, I wanted to visit a few local companies, and to organize a workshop with a university in which we would work together with local students, teachers and architects.

How can a metropolis retain its own identity?

How can Seoul be a great metropolis and a people-friendly living space at the same time?

Would it make sense to combine relatively impersonal high-rise with social qualities such as livability, interactions and involvements?

How do the Koreans perceive this? And how to combine traditional architecture with modern high-rise building?

I was quite concerned about the success of this Workshop, because the first few days in Seoul were more than exhausting for us: a long flight with a layover in Istanbul, arriving late at night in front of the booked hostel that did not exist anymore (luckily we quickly found other accommodation), a full excursion program in a very warm and very humid climate, and drinks at night, not to mention the jetlag.

In the workshop leaflet and the introductory lecture, I gave some guidelines for the

Nevertheless, my expectations were more than exceeded by the incredible efforts

design process, and some themes that could help in approaching this topic. We would

and energy that all students put into the workshop. It was almost unreal. They were eager, competitive, vulnerable, enthusiastic, and had a lot of fun. They discussed and learned so much from each other’s culture. In only five hours’ time, each group developed truly interesting ideas and proposals that all of them presented neatly. A small booklet of the workshop results is currently in the making.

I strongly believe that the outcome of this workshop put some fertile seeds in our minds and in those of our Korean architecture colleagues that will help in developing and improving future architectural qualities.//

“How can a metropolis retain its own identity?”

I approached the faculty of Architecture of The Soongsil University of Seoul (South Korea), and they were very happy to host the workshop.

Their input and facilities were very helpful and greatly appreciated.

Several study themes had been formulated for the trip, and the ones that proved most useful for the workshop were ‘the new metropolis’, ‘traditions and religions’, and ‘housing’.

Investigating these themes taught us that tall apartment complexes are typical typologies for modern developments in South Korea.

With 80m2 on average for a family, these complexes are very popular. They function like enclaves, with hardly any other facilities other than the dwellings themselves. Indeed, these enclaves seemed to leave no place at all for the typical traditional Korean market squares, shops and meeting places that could be found almost organically in the city’s fabric. This means that social life in South Korea becomes completely detached from the places where they live, which is in large contrast with the traditional way of living in South Korea. We wanted to investigate this recent separation to discover how the Koreans experience it themselves. It became the topic of the Workshop, which as such would also bring a lot of discussion between Dutch and Korean students on the way they live:

take the recent studies for the chosen and visited site as a starting point, in order to be able to work critically on a smaller, deeper and more comprehensive scale, focusing especially on how the relation between the apartment complexes and life on the streets could be elaborated, explored, and designed.

Some of the proposed guiding themes were ‘atmosphere and perception’, ‘materials and architectural expression’, ‘integrated mixed uses and necessities’, ‘durability and flexibility’, and ‘the scale of things’.

n a r r a t i v e // s t y l o s // g e n e r a l

>> picture on the left: Market place in Seoul >> picture on the right: Seokguram hermitage South Korea

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hello wood

play with balance Charlotte Ros

Een initiatief van een groep Hongaarse architecten van een paar jaar geleden groeit elk jaar groter.

Hello Wood, inmiddels ook een architectenbureau, is een 9-daags designkamp voor 100 architectuurof designstudenten om architectonische experimenten uit te voeren.

Verdeeld in 14 groepen bouwen de studenten onder begeleiding van architecten en kunstenaars houten paviljoens en sculpturen.

Elke workshop heeft zijn eigen interpretatie van het jaarlijkse thema. Dit jaar “Play with Balance”. Dit alles vindt plaats in de zomer op het prachtige platteland van Hongarije.

De bewonderingswaardig sterke organisatie van Hello Wood oogst veel vruchten. De sfeer van het festival is 9 dagen lang idyllish en heeft een sterke aantrekkingskracht op andere architecten en creatievelingen.

Hierdoor ontstaat er een soort dorpscultuur.

De hechte vriendelijke gemeenschap die zo kenmerkend schijnt te zijn voor Hongaarse architecten werkt vervolgens weer inspirerend op de studenten. Ook verschillende media vonden Hello Wood interessant: nationale kranten en televisie, maar ook de grotere ArchDaily en designboom waren duidelijk aanwezig.

Dit jaar werd Delft voor het eerst vertegenwoordigd in Hongarije. Zo’n 350 studenten uit heel Europa geven zich elk jaar op mee te kunnen doen, en dit jaar werden 8 Delftse studenten geselecteerd. Ook gastdocenten Suzanna Milinovic en Rufus van den Ban gingen naar Hello Wood om een workshop te faciliteren.

De workshops worden bedacht door architecten en kunstenaars, en als een soort prijsvraag beoordeeld door Hello Wood.

Dit maakt dat

de workshops zeer verschillen van elkaar.

Suzanna is bijvoorbeeld geïnteresseerd in wat er mis kan gaan, en dát te gebruiken.

Haar workshop bouwde een 3 meter hoge constructie, met een waterbassin op het dak. Maar: hout kan nooit perfect waterdicht geconstrueerd worden, en dat probleem werd gebruikt. Onder de lekkages werden nieuwe constructies en bassins gebouwd. Een resultaat gevormd door de imperfecties van het materiaal.

de gang van zaken in de bouwwereld. De houding van de faculteit is daarin duidelijk: een universiteit leert de studenten de basis, academisch denken en ontwerptechnieken, en is in principe geen praktijkopleiding.

Een favoriet van de jury was Cornwalk. Hier gebruikte de workshop het landschap als

experimenteren. Het materiaal echt voelen, tillen, zagen, meten, bevestigen en ruiken om

Een openbaring voor mij was dat deze praktijk naast de zakelijke ook een artistieke kant heeft. Ook ontwerptechnisch blijkt het onmisbaar om zelf een idee echt tastbaar te maken. Tijdens het proces ontdekken dat iets beter kan, en vervolgens verder

“Met een simpel maar krachtig idee bouwde de groep een constructie waartussen een pad langzaam oprees tot het maaiveldniveau.” inspiratie. Met een simpel maar krachtig idee bouwde de groep een constructie waartussen een pad langzaam oprees tot het maaiveldniveau.

Dit zijn enkel twee voorbeelden van de veertien experimenten die uiteindelijk gerealiseerd zijn. Elk had een ander karakter. Er was ook een 5 meter lang muziekinstrument, een sculptuur van Frank Havermans geïnspireerd op de historische bouw, en een labyrint enkel met houtverbindingen geconstrueerd. Genoeg variatie dus.

Dat een grote oppositie vindt dat op de studie bouwkunde misschien te weinig ruimte is voor praktijk, is denk ik algemeen bekend. Eenmaal afgestudeerd hebben de TU-studenten vaak nog weinig kennis over

uiteindelijk oog in oog staan met het resultaat.

Al deze handelingen zijn van een groter gewicht dan het ontwerpproces op de eerste twee dagen. Na zo’n proces leer je wat het idee écht inhoudt, en wat haar effect is. Een ervaring die niet na te bootsen is, zelfs niet in computer of met een maquette. Misschien durf ik te stellen dat zoiets een onmisbare ervaring is om daadwerkelijk een goede ontwerper te zijn.// >> picture above left: Albert Burgers en Michael Corrone winnen de meubeldesignwedstrijd >> picture bottom left: Favoriet van de jury, Cornwalk right: Presentaties van de resultaten

steeowee

fata morgana Ronen Dan

Natuurlijk is het niemand ontgaan dat de SteeOwee dit jaar weer heeft bestaan! Dit jaar extra spetterende editie dankzij het regenachtige weer. Van baksteenbruggen naar shoarma, van feest naar Rotterdam-excursie: De eerstejaars hebben bouwkunde goed leren kennen.

Net als de voorgaande jaren kwamen de eerstejaars vrijdagochtend met knikkende knietjes in de rij staan voor de faculteit, waar wij ze hebben laten zingen en dansen op onze liederen. Om ze vervolgens maandagochtend met geheven hoofd en uit volle borst te zien zingen tegen alle andere eerstejaars van de TU. Dat is natuurlijk een logisch gevolg als je drie dagen lang hebt ondervonden dat je lid bent geworden van de vetste studievereniging van Delft! Trouw aan ons commando hebben ze heel wat ‘DAKJE!’s gemaakt om die

bekende baksteenworkshop. Wat dit jaar nog specialer maakte is dat er een nieuw nationaal record baksteen-brug-overspanning-bouwen is gevestigd!

vervolgens ’s nachts allemaal eraf te feesten in het oververhitte Proteus of in het Oosterse Sport & Cultuur. Toevallig zijn er 3 eerstejaars dit weekend 18 jaar geworden en dat konden wij niet ongevierd laten. Ceremonieel werden hun bandjes doorgeknipt om middernacht en zaterdagavond kwam er een buikdanseres optreden.

met onder andere een live DJ, stormbaan, tobbedansbaan, graffiti-artists en de thee-tent met het 121ste bestuur. Je had er bij moeten zijn!

Overdag namen de eerstejaars deel aan allemaal verschillende activiteiten. Vrijdag begonnen ze met het versieren van hun eigen ‘keffiyeh’ (traditioneel Arabisch hoofddeksel), die vrijwel het hele weekend werden teruggevonden op plekken waar wij geweest waren. Daarna kwam de alom

Zaterdagochtend werden de nieuwe zielen geterroriseerd door een Laga trainigskamp.

Maar al snel daarna mochten ze de stad in voor het Crazy 121 spel. Alsof dat nog niet leuk genoeg was, werd elk ander EJW overtroffen door ons eigen SteeOwakanings Festival op het Berlageveld. Het terrein stond vol

Op de laatste dag werden eerst de OWeebandjes opgehaald en vervolgens werd er lekker ontbeten bij de ‘brakke brunch’. Een uitgebreide brunch met gekookte eieren, kaasbroodjes, jus d’orange en ons. Voor een echte architectonische kennismaking namen we de eerstejaars daarna mee naar de Wilhelminapier in Rotterdam.. Tijdens een fantastische rondleiding van Archiguides was het helaas een nogal stormachtige bedoeling op de pier. Alles waaide om en was nat. De heen- en terugreis in de Kwibus was gelukkig warm en droog. Als je afgelopen maand opblaaspalmbomen en geel geklede studenten uit het dak van een bus hebt zien hangen, dan weet je nu wie dat zijn geweest.//

“Wat dit jaar nog specialer maakte is dat er een nieuw nationaal record baksteen-brugoverspanning-bouwen is gevestigd!“ ’s Avonds gingen ze lekker eten bij de mentoren die de afgelopen twee dagen de sfeer er maximaal hoog in hebben gehouden. Shout-out naar de mentoren!

Wil jij het weekend herbeleven?

Bekijk dan de aftermovie!

Hamburg

city of the future Vita Teunissen

Coming fall Stylos’ excursion is going to hot and happening Hamburg, Germany. Although the city has a lovely historic centre, the Hafencity, is the place to be. This area of the harbour used to be a free port, but because of the increasing cooperation between European countries, it became inoperative.

In 2000, Dutch firm KCAP collaborating with the German ASTOC, presented the master plan of a large scale redevelopment project comparable to the transformation of Rotterdam’s Kop van Zuid, but much bigger.

Every project as large as this one needs at least one iconic building. Where Kop van Zuid has Rem’s De Rotterdam, Hafencity

has the Elbphilharmonie Hall. The building designed by Herzog & De Meuron has all the qualifications for a worthy follow-up of Sydney’s Opera House. The most recent estimation is that the construction will be finished in October 2016 (instead of summer 2010) at a cost of €789 million (€500 million overrun). What do you get for this price? A

250 room hotel, three large concert halls and a wellness centre, all wrapped up in a phenomenal, ultra-modern complex built 37 meters above the river on top of an old warehouse.

What else does Hafencity have to offer? Of course, a project like this is nothing without Rem Koolhaas’ stamp on it. OMA has designed another intriguing building. This time in the shape of a ring, housing an aquarium and a science centre and some other public facilities.

German architecture firm Code Unique has won the competition for HafenCity Universität; a recently finished, one-of-a-kind educational institute solely focusing on architecture and urban development.// >> picture: HafenCity Universität with OMA Science Centre in the background

MHB, van dorpssmid tot gevelproducent MHB is in 1938 opgericht door Johan Mathijssen, maar de wortels van het familiebedrijf gaan terug tot in de 17e eeuw. Van dorpssmid tot toonaangevend producent van kwalitatief hoogwaardige stalen ramen, deuren en gevels.

Het bedrijf is gevestigd in het Betuwse Herveld en heeft een eigen productielocatie in Craiova, Roemenië. Door succesvolle samenwerking met gekwalificeerde partners worden onze producten inmiddels wereldwijd toegepast.

Laboratorium Geodesie van Landbouw-

Bauhaus Instituut Dessau, renovatie in 2012

hogeschool te Wageningen 1953, stalen

met de innovatieve thermisch geïsoleerde

stoeltjesprofielen van MHB.

stalen stoeltjesprofielen Classic-ISO® van MHB.

MHB b.v.

Postbus 6, 6674 ZG Herveld

(0488) 45 19 51

verkoop@mhb.nl

www.mhb.nl

get inspired Marthe van Gils

Stedelijk museum - Dumas the image as a burden Marlene Dumas is a South African born artist and painter who lives and works in Amsterdam. Her work explores both the psysical reality of the human body and its psychological value. Dumas tends to paint her subjects with a continual emphasis on classical modes of representation in Western art, such as the nude or the funerary portrait. Dumas uses the human figure as a means to critique contemporary ideas of racial, sexual, and social identity. The image as a burden is Dumas first major solo exhibition in the Netherlands in 20 years. // stedelijk.nl

Dafont Dafont is a great place to find free fronts online. It has an archive of freely downloadable fonts, ordened in themes. Browse by alphabetical listing, by style, by author or by popularity. The most recent new fonts are always presented on the home page. There really is no reason to pay for a font when you can get such good ones for free. Useful when your interested in typography and graphic design. The fonts can make your project, poster or website more authentic.// dafont.com

HeForShe HeForShe is a solidarity movement for gender quality that brings together one half of humanity in support of the other half of humanity. Gender equility is not a womans right issue, it is of the benefit of all. Emma Watson, who was appointed to the role of the UN Ambassador earlier this year, delivered a passionate speech on the floor of the UN to launch the new HeForShe initiative, which advocates for total equality and for getting men to join the political and social battle.// heforshe.org

Teacher of the year Marcel Bilow, also known as Dr. Bucky Lab, has become teacher of the year. Stylos asked the students who is the best docent of the faculty. After a clear vote from the students Marcel was chosen to receive this title. Marcel Bilow is an assistant professor at the faculty and is part of its Façade Research Group. The Bucky Lab is a lab where students develop and built prototypes of their projects. They work with materials such as wood and steel and with tools ranging from saws and screws to drills. That’s two weeks of hands-on fun, according to Bilow.// buckylab.blogspot.nl

n a r r a t i v e // s t y l o s // g e n e r a l

25

@landschapsarchitect

Lodewijk v. Nieuwenhuijze Margot Overvoorde

Lodewijk van Nieuwenhuijze is een in Wageningen opgeleide landschapsarchitect en medeoprichter van H+N+S Landschapsarchitecten. Hij vertelt over zijn ervaring in het vakgebied, over wat hij heeft geleerd tijdens zijn studie en in de praktijk.

Margot Overvoorde Je bent begonnen bij Staatsbosbeheer, hoe zag het vak landschapsarchitect er toen uit?

Lodewijk van Nieuwenhuijze Bij Staatsbosbeheer werd ik na zo’n 6 jaar seniorlandschapsarchitect binnen een groep van twaalf landschapsarchitecten, in alle provincies één en ging ik bij iedereen langs. Dat was een bijzondere leerschool en een fantastische baan.

Het grootste deel van de inrichtingsplanning in het landelijk gebied werd begeleid door

zitten, dat is vaak een andere vraag dan waar de opdrachtgever mee komt. Dat is iets wat je door ervaring ook opbouwt, het effectiever worden in je rol als adviseur, als regisserende adviseur. Dan ontwikkel je een specialisme, in mijn geval het werken op het complexe hogere schaalniveau. Het is vergelijkbaar met een Mongoolse jongleur, die ontzettend veel bordjes tegelijk draaiende moet houden. Het ontwerpen als ambachtelijk vakmanschap moet je ook wel leren, maar heeft ook meer met een eigen aanleg te maken. Absoluut

waarin je je voorstelt hoe het plan zich in de tijd kan ontwikkelen. Je zoekt daar ook een expressie bij, eigenlijk wil je in één tekening dat “maken en groeien” tegelijkertijd laten zien en dat is heel ingewikkeld. Daar gaat het promotieonderzoek van Noel van Dooren ook over. Hebben landschapsarchitecten een bijzondere manier van tekenen om dit zichtbaar te maken? Hanteren ze een speciale tekenstijl of techniek om de kwaliteiten van het landschapsontwerp goed te verbeelden? Hij verbaast zich erover dat landschapsarchitecten

landschapsarchitecten van het ministerie van Landbouw; bij die groep zat toen eigenlijk alle kennis. Ik ging twee keer bij alle projecten langs, in de startfase en aan het einde van een project. Dat betekende dat ik tussen ‘83 en ‘90 heel Nederland heb rondgereisd.

Ik werd zo een van de ‘beste kenners van het Nederlandse cultuurlandschap’ en de ontwikkelingen daarin. Een reorganisatie bij de overheid in 1990 maakte een einde aan die situatie. De ministeries moesten zich meer op hun beleidstaken concentreren en afslanken; de inhoudelijke vakontwikkeling verdween.

Verschillende landschapsarchitecten van die groep zijn in die periode een eigen bureau begonnen. Wij waren medeontwerpers van plan Ooievaar, wat een goede startpositie voor de oprichting van ons eigen bureau H+N+S opleverde. Dit plan markeerde een nieuwe generatie regionale plannen met het watersysteem en het natuurontwikkelings denken als basis.

muzikaal gehoor bestaat, maar ik denk niet dat je met een consistent absoluut gevoel voor ontwerpkwaliteit wordt geboren, dat moet je ontwikkelen, in de loop van de tijd.

Daarvoor wordt misschien in de opleiding een basis gelegd, vervolgens moet je veel oefenen, schetsen (met een potlood), kijken naar kunst, de culturele betekenis van architectuur begrijpen, uitzoeken hoe dingen werken in het landschap en heel veel buiten kijken. Dat kijken is erg belangrijk, op excursie gaan met vakgenoten zou een hoofdbestanddeel van de opleiding moeten zijn, maar ook daarna wordt er volgens mij veel te weinig buiten gekeken. Dat is iets wat wij binnen het bureau koesteren, twee keer per jaar, een binnenlandse en buitenlandse excursie met elkaar hebben.

Met elkaar kijken en ontwerpen of situaties becommentariëren, daarmee ontwikkel je een groeiend collectief ontwerpbewustzijn als bureau. Dan kan er een gemeenschappelijk handschrift ontstaan.

zo weinig met filmpjes of animaties werken, want als je ontwerpt met de tijd verwacht je dat alle landschapsarchitectonische ontwerpen altijd filmpjes zijn. Ook bij het tekenen is dit belangrijk; je tekent bomen al volgroeid, dus die tekeningen kloppen eigenlijk niet. Het gaat er om dat je de juiste condities schept om het landschap te laten groeien. Dit is een belangrijke kwestie die door het vakgebied beter opgelost moet worden. Deze kwestie wordt ook geagendeerd in het werk van H+N+S, we proberen daar over na te denken en er een invulling aan te geven.

Wat heb je geleerd in die periode?

Er zit een groot verschil tussen werken bij de overheid en het werken in een bureau.

De zakelijke kant, bijvoorbeeld het maken van offertes is iets dat bij de afdeling landschapsarchitectuur van het ministerie niet aan de orde was. Je was gewoon adviseur met een volle agenda, maar hoeveel tijd je aan een project kon besteden bepaalde je zelf. Zakelijk opereren is ook iets wat je in de opleiding niet leert. Al werkende hebben we ons dat snel eigen gemaakt. Als ontwerper van regionale plannen is het belangrijk om snel door te hebben waar de ruimtelijke opgaven

En wat heb je geleerd in Wageningen dat je nu nog steeds gebruikt?

Hubert de Boer, landschapsarchitect en docent toen ik in Wageningen binnen kwam zei: ”Een goeie landschapsarchitect heeft twee cruciale eigenschappen. Het eerste is de drang om iets te willen veranderen of maken, anders ben je een belangenbehartiger en geen ontwerper.

Het tweede is dat een landschapsarchitect iets moet hebben met groeien, hoe dingen zich in de tijd ontwikkelen.” Dus maken en groeien.

Als ik goed over m’n eigen ontwerpen nadenk, dan zitten die twee lagen er altijd in. Een laag die je (cultuur)technisch maakt en een laag

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n a r r a t i v e // s t y l o s // g e n e r a l

De waterhuishouding in Nederland is een onderwerp waar jij gespecialiseerd in bent.

Was dit al meteen de richting die je op wilde?

Dat heeft deels met de Wageningse opleiding te maken, die heeft in ieder geval voor mij de basis gelegd om vanuit een systeem invalshoek naar het landschap te leren kijken. Het water was vervolgens een eigen fascinatie en in Nederland ook erg aanwezig. Zeker in het ontwerpen op de regionale schaal is een duurzaam, goed werkend watersysteem altijd een basis conditie waar je over na moet denken. Het Nederlandse cultuurlandschap is gebaseerd op de relatie tussen water, bodem en menselijke ingrepen daarin. Elk gebied is in gebruik en is in het verleden al eens of meerdere keren verbouwd.

Er bestaat geen ongeroerde woeste wildernis in Nederland. Daar is wel een leuk verhaal om te vertellen: Op een gegeven moment was er een Italiaanse landschapsarchitect, die bij ons stage liep. We hebben hem natuurlijk laten zien hoe Nederland in elkaar zat en waar landschapsarchitecten zich mee bezig hielden.

Toen hij terugging naar Italië hield hij een lezing over zijn ervaring met het Nederlandse landschap. Hij vond het fantastisch, wat hij allemaal had gezien, maar er ontbrak voor hem iets heel wezenlijks; ”Il mistero!“ Het mysterie, plekken waar je zonder wegen ook in zou willen kunnen, zijn er niet. Je kunt nergens verdwalen.

“Het mysterie” is iets wat in heel veel andere culturen heel wezenlijk is, maar ontbreekt in Nederland. Alles is gemaakt en heeft daardoor altijd meerdere betekenislagen. Dat betekent bijvoorbeeld voor het waterbeheer dat monofunctionele dijken niet bestaan. Een dijk is altijd iets integraals, het is een waterkering, je maakt er gebruik van en heeft betekenis voor de beleving. Wat “Mistero” is voor veel omringende culturen, is “Integraliteit” voor ons. Daarom denk ik ook dat de insteek is van het inrichtingsprogramma Ruimte voor de Rivier, gebaseerd op de dubbele doelstelling, namelijk het werken aan Waterveiligheid en Ruimtelijke Kwaliteit, recht doet aan de Nederlandse inrichtingstraditie. Het is onze heilige plicht, om te zorgen dat bij alle ingrepen die we in dat watersysteem doen, we dat op een heel zorgvuldige en liefdevolle manier doen. Dat is ook precies de rol die architecten en landschapsarchitecten hebben in dat soort projecten.

Ook in het buitenland is er vraag naar de Nederlandse waterbenadering. Bijvoorbeeld in Turkije, waar gaat dat project over?

Het belangrijkste wat we doen is een alternatieve strategie ontwikkelen voor een beslissing die ze een jaar of zes geleden in Istanbul hebben genomen. Na een paar hele zware buien, waarbij ook forse overstromingen hebben plaatsgevonden en er veel slachtoffers zijn gevallen, is het besluit genomen om alle beek- en riviersystemen in brede betongoten onder te brengen. Daar zijn een aantal trajecten van uitgewerkt, maar vervolgens wordt voor iedereen duidelijk dat zo’n ingreep een heleboel kapot maakt.

Met name die delen van Istanbul die ook een recreatief toeristische agenda hebben. Wat wij doen is een plan maken met componenten van het Nederlandse watersysteem, zoals extra waterbergen met kleine stuwtjes, uiterwaard-achtige oplossingen, gebieden laten overstromen die een lagere cultuurdruk hebben en huizen op terpen bouwen. Naast

profiel naam: Lodewijk van Nieuwenhuijze studie: Landschapsarchitectuur, Wageningen Universiteit bureau: H+N+S Landschapsarchitecten website: www.hnsland.nl

deze gereedschapskist hoort tegelijkertijd een integrale planbenadering. In plaats van een waterbak waar het water snel naar zee wordt afgevoerd, ontwerpen we een systeem dat ecologisch interessant is. We denken na over de rol van de landbouw op de flanken van het rivierdal en hoe we die misschien wel

blijven. Het zou best kunnen dat de omvang van de door de overheid aangestuurde regionale-ontwerpopdrachten met 30-40% afneemt t.o.v. het volume van voor 2008 . Maar ik denk dat de rol van de landschapsarchitect en stedenbouwer als regisseur van interdisciplinaire teams, het via het ontwerp

beter kunnen laten functioneren en we doen voorstellen over een andere vorm van water in de stad, zodat het deel kan worden van het stedelijk systeem. Dus dat is een vorm van integraal plannen die we eigenlijk in Nederland de afgelopen twee eeuwen hebben ontwikkeld en die in een land zoals Turkije gewoon helemaal niet bestaat. Daar is eigenlijk alleen sprake van sectorale planning. Ieder ministerie heeft zijn eigen uitvoeringsapparaat en je ziet gewoon gebeuren dat het ministerie van waterstaat rustig ingrepen doet en bruggen eruit haalt, waardoor een gebied een tijdje zonder wegverbinding zit omdat er helemaal geen contact is geweest met de “droge” infrastructuur beheerder, dat zou bij ons in Nederland ondenkbaar zijn. We hebben bij een paar gemeentes nu zoveel vertrouwen weten op te bouwen dat men uiteindelijk in Ankara de beslissing heeft genomen, om één groot pilotproject te draaien, waar het waterveiligheidsbeheer op de Nederlandse manier wordt aangepakt. Het aardige is dat we het vooral voor elkaar hebben gekregen door voorbeelden te laten zien, uit Singapore en Amerika, waar op dit moment heel veel van die betonbak-oplossingen worden verwijderd en vervangen worden door groene parkachtige integrale oplossingen. En dat is natuurlijk een mooie rol voor een ontwerper, om een wenkend perspectief neer te zetten, een stip op de horizon.

samenbrengen en tegelijkertijd toekomstige ontwikkelingen verbeeldend, zeker overeind zal blijven. Ik hoop dat H+N+S daar in de toekomst een rol in blijft vervullen. Daarnaast zie je door de crisis forse groei in de groep van één-mans bureaus, ik ben benieuwd of dit zo zal blijven.

Ik heb zelf eigenlijk altijd willen werken in een groep ontwerpers. Hierdoor kun je binnen een bureau, met omvang van 20-25 man, goed het vakdebat voeren. Ik denk dat het heel belangrijk is dat er binnen afzienbare tijd weer een aantal bureaus met een omvang als H+N+S kunnen floreren waardoor er een denktank kan ontstaan om toekomstige vraagstukken op te kunnen pakken met behulp van ontwerpend onderzoek Ontwerpen en onderzoeken op verschillende schaalniveaus, het leggen van dwarsverbanden; voor echte innovaties heb je laboratoriumachtige bureaus nodig, bureaus met een zekere omvang. En dat zou het perspectief voor H+N+S moeten zijn; mensen aan trekken die dat ook een interessante manier van werken vinden.

Hoe zie je de toekomst voor het vakgebied van de landschapsarchitectuur?

De opgaven zullen veranderen, maar er zal zeker een rol voor ontwerpende disciplines

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En wat voor een advies geef je aan een net afgestudeerde student?

Ten eerste moet je je goed oriënteren, bij wat voor een type bureau of organisatie zou je willen werken, daarbij gaat het over de inhoud van de projecten, je rol als ontwerper en ook over de werksfeer. Ten tweede is het belangrijk om de eerste jaren je er van bewust te zijn dat je ook nog door leert en eigenlijk in die eerste paar jaar veel dingen zou moeten willen uitzoeken. Tot slot moet je vooral gaan voor je eigen ambities, je niet in een keurslijf laten dwingen wat niet bij je past, je moet eerlijk blijven ten opzichte van jezelf.//

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cheops

Serpentine galleries Patrick van Dodewaard

Gelegen aan de Serpentine, de grote vijver van de Kensington Gardens in Londen, bevindt zich een voor architecten magische plek: De Serpentine Galleries. Ieder jaar krijgt één architect daar de kans om zijn expertise te uiten in een zo bizar mogelijk paviljoen.

2014 — Smiljan Radic

Het budget is nagenoeg onbeperkt en een functie hoeft het niet te hebben. Het is een soort tijdelijke Hall of Fame voor architecten.

Dat het culturele Londen hier een geschikte stad voor is, bleek wel in het verleden. Zo werd in 2013 het paviljoen van Sou Fujimoto door 200.000 bezoekers bekeken in de vier maanden dat het opgebouwd was. Dit jaar zal het paviljoen worden ontworpen door de Chileense architect Smiljan Radic. Hij is daarmee de veertiende architect die de kans krijgt om een prestigieus paviljoen te ontwerpen voor de Serpentine Galleries.

Smiljan Radic, een relatief onbekende naam tussen Rem Koolhaas, Oscar Niemeyer, SANAA, etc. is een Chileense architect die vooral in zijn vaderland heeft gebouwd en minder bekend is dan zijn voorgangers. Radic, geboren in 1965, is een van de beroemdste Chileense architecten op het moment. In Chili lijkt de architectuur een glorietijd door te maken. De uitnodiging aan Radic is dan misschien ook wel de kroon op het werk van veel Chileense architecten. Het is de moeite waard om het werk van Radic eens te bekijken. Onder andere

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2013 — Sou Fujimoto

2003— Oscar Niemeyer

2012 — Ai WeiWei, Herzog & de Meuron

2002 — Toyo Ito

het Mestizo Restaurant en Copper House 2 zijn zeker het bekijken waard. Zijn werk wordt geprezen door de veelzijdigheid en omgang met de fysieke en sociale context. In een interview

het Nederlands. Het paviljoen zal bestaan uit een semi-transparante cocon die rust op enkele rotsblokken. De huid van de schaal wordt gemaakt van glasvezel en zal als omhulsel

“De lichtgevende schelp zal ‘s nachts de aandacht van voorbijgangers trekken als motten op een lamp.” - Radic met The Guardian vertelt Radic dat hij altijd meer op zoek is naar ruimtelijke kwaliteiten als beleving, luchtkwaliteit, licht en geluid dan naar het visuele gevoel aan de oppervlakte. Hij levert dan ook kritiek op de beruchte gevelarchitectuur die op het moment erg in de mode is.

Het paviljoen is een moderne interpretatie van een folly. Follies zijn kleine bouwwerken, veelal opzettelijk zonder een duidelijke functie.

Denk aan kleine torentjes, podiums, e.d. Follies werden vooral tussen de 16e en 19e eeuw veel gebouwd in Engelse en Schotse parken. Er is dan ook geen bouwkundige vertaling van in

n a r r a t i v e // s t y l o s // g e n e r a l

dienen van een patio. Deze patio is lager gelegen dan het maaiveld, waardoor er een knusse ruimte ontstaat. Radic: “Ik wil het gevoel van een primitieve ruimte in een folly terugroepen.” In deze patio moet de bezoeker het gevoel krijgen dat het paviljoen zweeft. In de avond wordt de huid gelig verlicht, waardoor er een grote lichtgevende schaal ontstaat.

Door de verschillende lagen glasvezel zullen er oneffenheden ontstaan in het lichtspel, wat het geheel spannender moet maken. AECOM zal zorgen voor de technische uitwerking van het paviljoen, zoals ze dit in 2013 ook al deden.

Ook zal het als projectmanager fungeren.//

agenda Bernard Oussoren

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Oktober

UNStudio // Interactive exhibit Motion Matters 4.0 A collection of the firm’s landmark projects, the exhibition seeks to express a perspective on 26 years of practice and current trends in architecture. Rather than a display to be observed, the exhibit invites active participation and interacts with the visitor, resulting in a spatially dynamic gallery experience.// until November 7 // Architekturgalerie Munich

23 Oktober

TOFFLER // Give Soul B-day Bash TOFFLER, an underground House and Techno club in the centre of Rotterdam will celebrate Give Soul’s frontman Karim Soliman’s birthday with his amigo’s Prunk, Wouter S. and Moody Mehran. Sounds will stretch between progressive house, soul house and minimal techno. A must see!// 5,- // Weena Zuid 33, Rotterdam

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17 Oktober

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18 Oktober

Biennale Interieur // Belgium Design as both a commercial and cultural entity is a concept that stood at the basis of this event held every two years in Kortrijk, Belgium. 84 000 visitors are expected in 2014- mostly professionals and design enthusiasts from France, The Netherlands and Germany.// until October 26 // Kortrijk, Belgium

Dutch Design Week // Now Future Smart solutions. Inventive design. New perspectives. Discover the upward force of design; seek inspiration in the ground-breaking work of a staggering number of designers, optimistic buzz guaranteed.// until October 26 // Eindhoven

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November

Berlage Masterclass // Architecture without Architects The Berlage is pleased to announce that internationally acclaimed architect Ben van Berkel, cofounder and principal architect of UN Studio, is leading a design master class in November 2014 entitled “Architecture without Architects.. Architects without Architecture?”// until November // UN Studio and Delft University of Technology

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beroepservaringperiode architecture students want start of BEP postponed!

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The BEP, necessary for securing the architecture title, needs more time to be implemented correctly.

From January 2015, all architecture students in the tracks of Architecture, Urbanism and Landscape Architecture have to follow the BEP for a period of two years, to receive the title of architect.

With just a few months before the official implementation of the BEP, a lot is still unclear about the organisation, the costs and the consequences of the programme that students have to follow after graduation.

Several study associations from the

economic climate. Until now there is just one party offering the required modules of the BEP: the Professional Experience Program, which costs about 6000 euros. The PEP is the only programme that is verified by the Architecture Register. According to their initial

of diminishing applicants is a good possibility.

Looking at the high costs to receive the architecture title, there is a high possibility that there will be nearly no applicants. The introduction of the BEP in its current shape will then result in a devestating blow to the

Universities of Delft, Eindhoven and Wageningen announce: the BEP is not finished yet!

intentions, the BEP would offer a broad choice of programmes from a variety of providers.

According to the Architecture Register, the

Architecture Register, which has already lost nearly half of the jobs in the field of architecture in the past few years.

A generation of creative designers and an important export product of the Dutch knowledge-economy will be lost, due to the fact that the profession will become exclusive for the elite and unreachable for those who cannot afford it.

“The beroepservaringperiode (BEP) is not finished yet!�

The initiative of the BEP was taken by Jo Coenen, ex-Dutch Chief Goverment Architect, to attempt to close the gap between education and practice, and to honour European regulation. Despite the fact that development of the BEP started twelve years ago, the final implementation is, until this day, still unclear. The Architecture Register, the executing party of the BEP, is not ready to tackle the implementation of the new law, and many questions remain unanswered.

Graduates who want to earn an architecture title need to have a profession-related job; this is a challenge in itself in the current

employer will contribute to the costs of the programme. In reality however, young architects receive temporary contracts and are paid very low hourly wages. Employers who are barely able to sustain themselves financially in the current crisis, will not invest in a temporary employee.

Despite the fact that the BEP is still incomplete, too expensive and badly communicated, it has also shed light on other problems within the world of architecture. Since the crisis of 2008, graduates work fulltime for low salaries, often even under the level of minimum wage.

Due to the high costs of the BEP, the likelihood

The Netherlands will lose a big part of our longstanding building tradition if there is no more support for the field of architecture, and if graduates are not actively supported and protected.

Do we accept that a large group of talented young spirits will be left out? What are the consequences for our built environment?

Until there is an appropriate answer for these questions, student representatives from Delft, Eindhoven and Wageningen demand the start of the BEP to be postponed.//

On the 21st of November 2014, the Faculty of

On behalf of the architecture students,

Architecture and the Built Environment will host a debate about the BEP and the current

D.B.S.G. Stylos, Faculty Studentcouncil Architecture TU Delft, Study association CHEOPS, POLIS Platform for Urbanism, Study association AnArchi, Vereniging voor Studie- en Studentenbelangen Delft (VSSD), Argus Architecture Study Association, VIA Urbanism, Study association for Landscape Architecture and Spatial Planning Genius Loci.

situation in the work field. This debate will be a discussion between students, architects and policy makers.

For more information, send an email to: BEPdebate@stylos.nl

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