MAP 6 by Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning

Michigan Architecture Papers M A P 6 路 Mecanoo

漏 1999 The University of Michigan College of Arch itecture + Urban Planning & Mecanoo A rchitec ten, Delft. The Netherlands Editor: Annette W. LeCuyer Design: Christian Unverzagt ISBN: 1-891197-06- 1 Printed and bound in the United States of America Printed by Universi ty Lithoprinters, Inc., Ann Arbor Typeset in Frutiger College of Architecture + Urban Planning The University of Michigan 2000 Bonisteel Boulevard Ann Arbor, M ichigan 48109-2069 USA

Mecanoo

Michi gan Archit ect ure Papers 6

Mec·ca·no /mi'ktmau/ n. The proprietary name of a set of metal pieces, nuts, bolts, etc. and tools specially designed for constructing small models of buildings, machines, or other engineering apparatus; any portion of such a set. First use 1907 Trademarks Journal, Meccano Constructional Toys. Frank Hornby, Liverpool; manufacturer of constructional models. Compact Oxford English Dictionary

Mec·a·no /me ka' nO/ n. Dadaist pamphlet founded in 1922 by the artist, writer and architect Theo van Doesburg. The pamphlet survived through three numbers. OZOO 16

zo/ n.

The code name for

an entry by a team of architectural students from Delft University of Technology to the 1981 Kruisplein competition located in the center of Rotterdam on the site of the former zoo. OZOO also refers to the Dutch o

zo which

means 'in this way.'

Mec-a·noo /me ka' no/ n. The name chosen by five students for their architectural office which was founded after winning the Kruisplein competition .

EciwardDimendberg

Mecanoo

Foreword

Hiding in Full View

The Reflective Architect

Selected Projects 1994 - 1999 Roch ussenstraat De Trust Theater Eco-Town Rotterd am

Amsterdam

Almere

Pub Iic Library Herdenkingsplein Almelo

Maastricht

2a 32

Brouwersgracht

Faculty of Economics and Management

Amsterdam

UtrechtUniversity

TheHague

Groothandelsmarkt lsala College c ity HaII si lvolde

Nieuwegein

Arnhem

Dutch Open-Air Museum Libra ry Delft University of Technology

Mecanoo

Awards and Competitions

Exhibitions

Selected Publications

Project Credits

Acknowledgments

Foreword

The story of Mecanoo is an encouraging

seriously; after all, it is one product of

one, especially for students of

our cu lture which affects everybody,

architecture. Founded in 1983 w ith

and which will continue to do so."

a portfolio of competition winning

This context, in w hich the design of

student schemes, Mecanoo has become

the built environment is held as a prime

one of the leading practices of a new

manifestation of the values of social

generation of Dutch architects. From

democracy, stands in stark contrast to

an early reputation founded upon a

the largely commodified, ma rket-driven

critical reconsideration of both the form

backdrop of much modern architecture.

and content of Dutch social housing and a reappraisal of the role of architecture in urban regeneration, Mecanoo's

The physical context of the Netherlands also plays an obvious and important

subsequent commissions have expanded

role in Mecanoo's work. Far from being

to include a broad range of civic projects.

natural, its geography has been designed, recl aimed painstaking ly from the sea.

Architecture, more than a mere

Land is precious and the nation is

formal or aesthetic endeavor, is

densely occupied . In this setting, it is not

inextricably bound up with ideology.

surprising that the work of Mecanoo has

In contrast with a view of architecture

evolved from buildings - the traditional

which characterizes good design and

doma in of the architectural profession -

social responsibility as mutually exclusive,

to a fusion of architecture, urban design,

Mecanoo's work is the product of a

landscape and infrastructure.

commitment to social democracy and to architecture of the highest quality.

Rather t han diminishing the influence

The Dutch government has played a

of the architect, Mecanoo - in the

maJor role in the production of new

spirit of Donald Schon's reflect ive

buildings in the Netherlands since World War II. During the past two decades -

practitioner- brings the concerns of

while many capitalist, former communist

of design disciplines. This blurring of

and social democratic governments

the boundaries of professional expertise

alike tig htened their publ1c spending

is, in Mecanoo's terms, the essence

belts - the Dutch have increased their

of modernism not as a style but as

sponsorshi p of architecture. In 1991,

a way of working.

architecture to bear upon a broad range

the first coord1nated government policy statement on architectu re stated:

Annette W LeCuyer

"The government takes architect ure

Associate Professor of Architecture

Hiding in Full View Edward Dimendberg

Although each of the principals of

requi rements are the envy of architects

Mecanoo is under the age of 45, this

around the world, provides an important

biographical detail is perhaps t he only

context for the activities of the office.

true commonality that links them to their

Yet the sheer variety of Mecanoo's clients

peer group of innovative young architects

makes it impossible to pigeon hole the

working in Los Angeles, London, and

practice as beholden to a sing le sponsor.

elsewhere . While Mecanoo is not a corporate conglomerate simultaneously

That Mecanoo's architectu re reveals

building on six continents, neit her is it a

careful detailing and astute design

small studio that stays afloat by carrying

solutions frequently employed to poetic

out modest commissions and publishing

effect makes their relative absence from

theoretical schemes . As in so many

the radar screens of the current arbiters

other domains of life in the Netherlands,

of American architectural discourse

Mecanoo's size is a deliberate realization

puzzling, if not a little scandalous. Yet

of a scale that allows for a variety of

if the fi rm and its principa ls have not

working relationships and modes

yet become household words in North

of engagement.

America, this fact strikes me as more

Mecanoo currently employs about 50

architecture than reflective of Mecanoo's

revealing of fashions in contemporary people and, in fifteen years of practice,

impressive achievements. To think about

has designed 220 projects . Of t hese,

th is work systematically is to conclude

80 are built and 35 are in design or

that Mecanoo's practitioners have parted

under construction. There are not

ways w it h the dominant strategies

many internationally prominent architects

for attaining fame in t hei r prof ession.

in practice today who can make similar

To paraphrase Salvador Dali's remark

claims, and fewer still who can equal

about his relationship to the surrealists,

Mecanoo's range of commissions - a

the only difference between Mecanoo's

restaurant, a hotel, libraries, laboratories,

arch itects and the many arch itects who

university complexes, public housing,

style t hemselves as nonconf ormists, is

office buildings, headquarters of

that Mecanoo's really are nonconformists .

municipa l governments, landscape

Their built work and thei r modes

parks and entire cities. The Netherlands,

of practice challenge prevalent

whose promotion of architecture as a

understandings of what architecture

major component of the nation's cultural

can be and should be today.

identity, robust system of building competitions, and stringent land use

Scrutinize their buildings and you will be

wood, and stone in the Herdenkingsplein

hard pressed to discern a signature style,

apartments is as polished a demonstration

the sine qua non for the client or jury

of formal skill as one finds anywhere in

concerned with insuring that a building

Mecanoo's work.

be recognizable as the product of a unique architectural talent. Instead,

Read the architects' statements about

Mecanoo's buildings display what Ludwig

their work and you wil l be at a loss to

Wittgenstein calls "family resemblance."

detect a theoretical program or evidence

They allow one to infer common features

of any personality cult. You will struggle

which never coalesce into a set identity.

in vain to discover their views about

With each new commission, the office reinvents solutions for program and

postmodern philosophy, globalization, or cyberspace. No sing le member of the

design, a far more adventurous notion

office serves as its spokesperson, and

of architecture than the repetition

an afternoon spent in conversation with

from project to project of a mannered

any of its principals is un likely to yield

design signature.

a single quotable sound bite. Yet such verbal reserve should not be mistaken

Peruse the projects built by Mecanoo

for anti-intellectualism, for I have

and you will be challenged to explain

encountered few groups of architects

how the studio consistently realizes so

more thoughtful than Mecanoo. Let

high a design standard. Where are the

the subject turn to their interaction with

quickly turned out commercial structu res

clients and- boom! -a nuanced theory

that underwrite the payroll each month,

of architectural practice surfaces, leaving

the North American cynic might rightly

no doubt that these architects are indeed

ask? And then there is the matter of

"reflective" practitioners.

publ ic housing. The very phrase sends sh1vers down the spine and evokes

What, then , are the architectural creeds

bland standardization and inadequate

of this cheerful band of nonconformists

budgets, a quicksand of noble intentions

whose name was selected to resonate

guaranteed to swallow up even the most

wit h "zoo " and whose logo suggests

skilled practitioners . Yet Mecanoo bui lds

a precipitous dive into the unknown?

an enormous quantity of aesthetically

Mecanoo's t heo ry and practice of

and technolog ically sophisticated publ ic

architecture would seem to be manifested

housing w ith no lowering of quality

in the commitment of its principals to

evident. even in comparison to its other

innovative engineering and environmental

commissions. The juxtaposit ion of glass,

technology, t hei r sensitivity to existing

context, their belief in the value of

walls are climate facades. Both function

urbanism and public space, and their

in conjunction with a cold storage

social democratic politics of program.

system that, through the pumping

While none of these attributes is specific

of ground water, heats and cools the

to Mecanoo, their combination in the work of a single office is rare and

building. One million books are housed

reveals much about the studio's

in the basement- a sensible alternative to the elevated glass slabs of many

singular approach to building.

contemporary libraries. Storing the books underground invites the design

It has become customary since the

of the emblematic wall of books in the

end of the Second World War to lament the growing separation of

most frequently consulted volumes.

architecture from urban planning and

Each of these architectural decisions

the concomitant loss of the city as a

interacts synergistically with the others,

main reading room for the 80,000

domain in which architects can employ

incorporating environmental, aesthetic,

their judgment and expertise. From

and programmatic concerns within

early projects such as Kruisplein in

a chosen design solution. At a time

Rotterdam to recent proposals for the

when many architects struggle to

city of Almere, Mecanoo has consistently

master a single dimension of building

maintained an engagement with urban

such as energy sustainability or design innovation, Mecanoo recognizes and

issues. Even a modest project like the Rochussenstraat complex suggests a new conceptualization of urban space,

responds to multiple challenges in a bold yet admirably modest fashion.

combining as it does an unusually rich mix of uses in a single building located

Joined by a new swathe of grass and

within the central city.

stone to Van den Broek and Bakema's

In arguably its boldest completed

and frightening an instance of concrete

General Assembly Building -as massive project to date, the Library for the

brutalism as anyone is likely to encounter

Delft University of Technology, perhaps

in this lifetime - the Delft Library does

the greatest shock is that what appears

not ignore its neighbor but rather seeks to incorporate it into a newly created

to be merely an innovative design scheme follows from the requirements

landscape. Unlike much contemporary

of climate control and book storage .

architecture in the Netherlands that

The grass roof provides temperature

strives for a modernist purity of design

insulation, and the glazed exterior

often at the expense of its immediate

surroundings, the Library acknowledges

gentler and more tactile modernism

and actually improves its adjoining

than that espoused by many more

environment. In making the construction

technophilic architects.

of an agreeable place a key aspiration what the architects in a flourish of understatement call a "campus-style

Materials never ga in the upper hand in a Mecanoo building. They provide

social space" - Mecanoo transcends

a context for the work, rather than its

the "supermodernist" aesthetic of trans-

content. The transparency of the glazed

parency, boundlessness, and neutrality

exterior facades of the Delft Library

recently advanced as a description of

demands to be read less as a feat of

much contemporary architecture. 1

technical virtuosity than as an effort

For although some of Mecanoo's

w ithin visible to those outside. What

bu ildings appear to display the

in the hands of another architect

to render the activit ies conducted

"supercool transparency" and technical

might easily become a formalist

virtuosity frequently identified with

celebration of glass or detailing reveals

the work of OMA, Dominique Perrault.

instead Mecanoo's egalitarian social

Jean Nouvel, and Herzog & de Meuron,

democratic leanings. Students clicking

Mecanoo retains an affinity with the

away on their comp uter keyboards and

socially engaged modern ism of the

library staff working in their offices are

1920s.' Public housing projects such

visible from either end of the building,

as Kruisplein and Prinsenland recall

a veritable celebration of the building's

the Weimar German experimentation

program for all the world to behold.

of Hans Scharoun or Bruno Taut, just as

A temple of information, the library

the building envelope of the Nieuwegein

is also a place, and one deeply loved by

City Hall evokes the shape of Hans

its students, facu lty, and public patrons,

Poelzig's House of Radio . Decisive

as a visitor quickly discovers.

here is not merely the rejection of the orthogonal box exemplified in the

Rare is the project by Mecanoo without

Delft Library's manifestation of ellipses,

a generous provision of public space

parabolas, trapezia, and parallelograms

that exceeds the minimum requirements

and its limitation of right angles to

for circulation. The Delft Library's

doors and books! ' In its predilection

ample study rooms, situated around

for curved, undulating, or asymmetrical

the perimeter of its cone (an unabashed

forms and materials such as wood or

display of high-tech symbolism, a Trylon

stone, Mecanoo realizes a kinder,

for the digital age that manages to

avoid any connotation of kitsch) are

Heidegger has written about the

complemented by a bookstore and cafe

"inconspicuousness of the obvious"

adjacent to the entrance. Within the

that allows what remains in fu ll view

Faculty of Economics and Management

to evade our attention. The ideals that

built for Utrecht University, each department has its separate square at

inform Mecanoo's architectura l practice are scarcely trade secrets and belong

the crossing of the building's corridors.

to a long tradition of socially engaged

A more congenial architectural invitation

modern ism, one that has always

to conversation and exchange within

remained visible, even when partially

a university building is hard to imagine.

eclipsed by competing conceptions

The three internal courtyards introduce nature into the interior, and the wiry

of bui lding. What remains most unique about Mecanoo is the office's

metal benches provide a delightful

unwavering commitment to a seamless

spot from which to survey one's

fusion and refinement of technological,

position in the bamboo grove.

environmental, aesthetic, and democratic concerns. As Mecanoo moves fo rward,

Mecanoo designs with its clients, not

I hope that the courage, playf ulness and

simply for them. Mecanoo's description

intelligence of its work will become more

of the architect's role as a referee for

conspicuous within the landscape of

rival interests and a force to encourage

contemporary architecture.

competing groups to surrender some measure of their own power in order to achieve a common goal reads equally well as a description of Dutch social democratic politics in action. Traveling with clients to visit notable buildings or meeting frequently with them to refine a

Notes 1. See Hans lbelings, Supermodernism :

Architecture in the Age of Globalization (Rotterdam: NAi Publishers, 1998). 2. Ibid , p. 94. 3 . Mecanoo Architects, Delft University o f

program are intrinsic to the office's mode

Technology Library (Rotterdam : Uitgeverij 010,

of practice. This requires time and, in the

1998), p. 13.

case of the Delft Library, a full five years of discussion transpired before a final design was realized. Credible architecture, we might sometimes too readily forget, requires great patience.

The Reflective Architect Mecanoo

"When research-based theories and techniques are inapplicable, the professional cannot legitimately claim to be expert, but on ly to be especially well prepared to reflect-in-action .. . " -Donald Schon, The Reflective Practitioner, 1983

The Van Nelle Factory, Schroder House,

complexity which can be built into

Villa Mairea and the laboratories and

projects. The eight programmatic

offices for Johnson Wax are widely

components of the building in fact

studied exemplars of early twentieth

represent five different clients, each

century architecture. All are admired

of whom contributed to the cost of the

for advancing the discipline in some

project which was financed by a mix of

radical way - through spatial and formal

private and public funding . The leaders

conception, the invention of building

of the initiative were the Rotterdam

type, or technological innovation.

Housing Authority- which was a public

Yet, for us, these buildings form a

agency that was subsequently privatized

coherent group, not because of any

during the course of the proJect- and a

heroic ideological common ground,

contractor I developer. On this project,

but because each was the result of an

our role was to deal with the specific

inspiring relationship between client

demands of each of the clients and

and architect. These relationships were,

to act as referee of conflicting interests,

however, more than professional; based

both practical and ideological. During

upon friendships, they were personal

the year-long design phase, we met

and often endured for a lifetime.

with the clients as a group every two weeks. The project could never have

Times have changed. Although there

been realized if each client had not

are more recent examples of close

surrendered in some measure its

collaborations between individual clients

own interests in order to achieve a

and architects- for example, the Salk

common goal.

Institute and the Menil Gallery - they increasingly tend to be the exception

The term 'client' now has a more

rather than the rule. Instead, many

complex definition than in the past.

participants- often with conflicting

It may refer to a professional client

interests -are involved in the design

who builds regularly- a developer,

and building process . The client is

municipality, or university- or an

typically not an individual patron with

individual or institution embarking on

whom the architect can build a fruitful

its first and only building project. In

personal and professional relationship,

addition , the client is now understood

but rather a series of organizations

to include, not simply the institutional

with unclear structures and imprecise

patron, but also the future users of the

decision-making processes. The

building and the public who are actively

Rochussenstraat scheme is a good

involved in the design process. Finally,

example of the organizational

the architect typically coordinates the

Van Nelle Factory, Rotterd am, 1927- 1929 Architects: Brinkman and Van c\er Vlugt

We studied at the Delft Un1vers1ty of Technology in the late sevent1es and early eighties. Follow1ng the upheavals of 1968. universities had been reformed and more attention was pa1d to the social Implications of academ1c work. It was an inspiring t1me to study arcl11tecture. a turn1ng pomt because of the combination of sooal ISSues w1th architectural des1gn and the mcorporation of soc1al and cultural concerns within profess1onal practice Architecture and Utuptd - Oestgn and Capttalist Development by Manfredo Tafun and Towards a non-oppressive enVIfonment by Alexander Tzon1s were 1mportant texts. msp1nng us to shape new roles as profess1onals engaged with - rather than cut off from our soc1ety.

wor~ of many profess onals who are essent1al 1n reahzmg a bu1ldmg. Fme archnecture does not emerge from the laboratory of the arch1tect wor~1ng 1n 1Solat10n A carefully des1gned proJeCt can only be ach1eved as a result of an msp1red cooperation between clients. users, the public. consultants and the architect. It 1s cntKal that all people mvolved feel personally respons1ble for the fmal result. and it is only 1n th1s situation that the s1gnature of the arch1tect can most effect1vely ennch the des1gn .

In another text. The Reflecttve Praccmoner How professionals think in action, the late Donald A. Schon examines f1ve d1SC1pl1nes - architecture. psychotherapy, engineering, town plann1ng and management- to expla1n how profess1onals approach problem solv1ng On the one hand, Schon sets out the tarn1shed concept of the profess1onal as a techn1cal expert cla1m1ng extraordmary knowledge, status. sooal mandate. antl license On the other are the rad1cal cntlcs who attack profess1onals as elit1st Instruments of the establishment who use the1r spec1al ~nowledge to control the have-nots and ma1nta1n the status quo Ne1ther extreme. Schon argues.

offers a satisfactory definition of the role

When we ask clients, "What do

professionals should play in increasingly

you expect from an architect?" the

democratic, pluralist societies.

answers vary but typically consist of three components: creativity,

Instead, Schon offers the model of reflection-in-action . Rather than

professionalism and communication. Creativity encompasses fresh ideas,

problem-solving with technical expertise,

the ability to give form to an idea,

reflection- in-action focuses upon critical

aesthetic sense, and inspiration.

definition. The problem is constantly

Professional ism impl ies, among other

revised, reshaped and reframed through

things, the ability to del iver buildings

interaction with this complex entity

of guaranteed quality, knowledge

called the client- a process Schon

of build ing costs, the ability to work

describes as a "reflective 'conversation

within planning controls and building

with the situation'."' In this way, the

regulations, the ability to manage a

professional body of knowledge is no longer neat and tidy, but is opened

team of professionals, and sound office organi zation. The term communication

up to include uncertainty, instability,

may be described more empathetically

uniqueness and conflict. Common sense

and comes closest to Schon's notion

and intuition are added to rationalism

of reflection-in-action: developing an

and allowed to influence professional decision-making. In a subsequent

affinity with the project, listening to the client, having a critical attitude towards

book, Schon says,

the views of the cl ient, being able to

"Depending on the context and the

and having a critical view of society as

practitioner, such reflection-in-action may

a whole. As professionals, therefore,

translate those views into built form,

take the form of on-the-spot problem-solving,

rather than protecting the status quo,

theory-building, or re-appreciation of the

we become agents of change . By

situation ... In all such cases, the notion of reflection-in-action goes a long way towards describing what we mean when we speak of a practitioner's artistry. It is a capacity to combine reflection and action, on-the-spot,

making a thorough analysis of and distinction between problems, wishes, demands and possible solutions, we engage in critical practice - that is,

often under stress - to examine understand-

reformulating the problem, not merely

ings and appreciations while the train is

solving it. As Ove Arup is reputed to

running, in the midst of performance .. ..

have said, why to build and what

Competent practice, as we are increasingly

to build is a much more difficult and

coming to see, demands a marriage of

controversial question than how to build.

problem-setting and problem-solving."'

Our first project, housing for young people at Kruisplein in Rotterdam, was a successful design competition which we prepared while we were still students. For us, the transition from the relentless probing and questioning of the design studio to the pragmatism of practice was seamless. While much postwar housing had been built in Rotterdam, little attention had been paid to the many people not living in traditional nuclear families- for example, young people, students, single people and the elderly. These groups comprised

Kruisplein

a growing sector of the population in the city, but the existing stock of family

we have designed and built since the

housing did not address their needs.

ea rly eighties. Our app roach differed

The Kruisplein competition was

t ime. They had responded to the crisis

organized by an action group of

of confidence in the profession by

local residents backed by a housing

simply giving t he pencil to the people.

from other housing architects at the

corporation . The ambit ion was to

In contrast, we designed the projects,

develop a new typology of urban

working closely with clients, residents

housing which offered varying degrees

and neighbors. We discovered that

of privacy and community. Contact with

people wanted to live in well-designed

the client was limited by competition

homes which made good neighborhoods,

protocol, but once we had been selected

but they did not want to hold the pencil themselves.

to carry out the project, we embarked on a series of meetings, debates and discussions with area residents and

It would be an exaggeration to say

futu re tenants. With t he Kruisplein

that inspired individual clients are a

project. we established a reputation

t hing of the past. Although many of

for innovative urban regeneration

our clients are organ izations, we have

on awkward sites, and we developed

also been able to develop enduring

a critical mode of working which

professional relationships with individuals

became the basis for the several

much as Van der Vlugt Rietveld,

thousand units of public housing that

Aalto and Wright did in their careers.

The client for Kruisplein subsequently

analysis of the client's program. The

became a developer and, with him,

purpose of both the visits and the study

we have built a number of innovative

were to understand the ideas behind

housing projects including Prinsenland

the program -that is, the vision of this

in Rotterdam, an exploration of Ebenezer

particular client for this particular project.

Howard's concept of the garden city

With this mutual understanding in

in a multicultural society. Rijkerswoerd,

place, design proceeded quickly and

a development of 1,000 houses in

the concept remained valid, even though

Arnhem now under construction,

many detail changes arose as a result

further develops the garden city with

of discussions with the director and representatives of library departments

particular emphasis on the design of public space for children. Two further

during the design and construction

schemes with this client are currently

process. We maintained a very close

being designed. Each project, like Kruisplein, strives to critically redefine

as a consequence, the client gave

housing to address the needs of

dialogue on operational detail and,

our changing society.

us great architectural freedom -the freedom of our professional expertise.

With Almelo Library, we developed

The design of the Library for the Delft

a strategy which we now use with all clients who are not familiar with the

commission that was awarded to

University of Technology was another

design and building process. Instead

Mecanoo as a result of a design

of simply producing a scheme at the

competition. During the competition,

outset we started by traveling with

contact with the client was obviously

the client. Together we visited libraries

limited but, once appointed, a close

in Holland, Germany and England

working relationship was developed

that were of interest either from an

with the library director and staff.

operational or an architectural point of

In this particular case, we brought

view. Each building we visited provoked

the world of libraries to the client.

reflection, conversation and critical

We travel extensively and, wherever

assessment both of what we had seen and what our client wanted. At

we go, we look at buildings critically. Using slides and photos of what we have

the same time, we carried out a study

seen - beautiful and ugly, good and bad

of the Almelo site and its history; the

-we had many lively discussions with

typological history of the library together

the client. This inspiring debate about

with recent evolutionary trends; and

'our' library continued for five years

finally, a quantitative and qualitative

until the building was complete.

The work of Mecanoo has been called "the flagship of modernism

Notes 1. Schon, Donald A. The Design Studio: An

without dogma."' At the same time,

Exploration of its Traditions and Potentials

it is a modernism wh ich some critics

(London: RIBA Publications Limited, 1985)

have dismissed as merely a question of aesthetic and form : We are indeed

p. 26. 2. Ibid . pp. 27-28. 3. lbelings, Hans. Modernism without dogma:

pragmatists, not theori sts. However,

architects of a younger generation in the

Schon's model of reflection-in-action

Netherlands (Rotterdam : Nederlands

could be misconstrued to be entirely

Architectuurinstituut and the Rijksdienst Beeldende Kunst, 1991 ).

process oriented, and while this may

4. Hulsman, Bernhard. "Herzien." NRC

be relevant in other professions, it is inappropriate for architecture. For us,

Handelsblad (28 May 1998) p. 34.

the process has the character of a dialogue. It is a means to an end . The

Parts of this text are based on a presentation by Henk Doll at a symposium in memory of the late Donald A. Schon which was organized by

artistry of architecture - proportion,

Professor Alexander Tzonis on 23 January 7998

composition, space, light, the craft

at the Delft University of Technology Donald SchOn

of building, and the tactile sense of material -cannot be surrendered to

was Professor of Urban Studies and Education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology The title "The Reflective Architect " pays homage

well-meaning process. In architecture,

to Schon's book The Reflective Practitioner -

it is the artifact which endures.

How professionals think in act ion (7 983}

Rochussenstraat Rotterdam

The design of the building is shaped by a complex mixed-use program and by the special location of t he site in the city. The bui lding includes eight different functions: housing, shops and ga lleries, speculative office space, t he headquarters of the Municipa l Housing Authority, the offices of the Architecture Support Fund, an extension to a police station, the Ronald McDonald House serving a nearby children's hospital, and car parking. The site is located at the corner of Rochussenstraat and Eendrachtsplein in the center of Rotterdam. To the north is a renovated 19th century neighborhood with social housing and shops, and to the east is a tall wall of postwar office blocks. The area to the south of the site -with a series of villas, t he Parkhotel and the Netherlands Architecture Institute - has a more open character. Eend rachtsplein is a busy commercial street These different surroundings are united in the design. The closed character of the buildings on Rochussenstraat is reflected in the design of t he facade. On the Eendrachtsplein side, however, the w indows extend over four entire floors, opening the bui lding to the street The rounding of the corner corresponds to the forms of the extension to t he Parkhotel opposite, a project completed by Mecanoo in 1992.

Despite its many functions, the building has a clear form and composition . The narrow, short leg of the building on Eendrachtsplein contains dwellings and galleries. At the northeast end, the building is linked to existing neighboring buildings by a two story block which houses the extension to the Eendrachtsplein police station. The long, wider leg of the building on Rochussenstraat contains the speculative office space, the headquarters of the Housing Authority, the Support Fund and the Ronald McDonald House. A passage through the building on Rochussenstraat connects to a small street in the 19th century neighborhood to the north and gives access to parking which extends underneath the whole site. The different functions are reflected in the arrangement and design of the fenestration, but at the same time the linear treatment of the facade ensures a composed, homogeneous appearance. On the exterior, the flowing linear form and quiet use of brick, stucco, glass and zinc unify the many parts of the building. Inside, however, the detailing, colors and choice of materials vary for each of the individual functions.

.----......___, 0

10m

1 entrance

2 offices 3 4 5 6 7 8

galleries police station void mezzanine Ronald McDonald House apartments

Fourth

Second

Mezzanine

Ground

De Trust Theater Amsterdam

This former Lutheran church was built in 1793. From the outside, the building does not look like a church; only the wooden sculpture in the pediment reveals its religious origins. In 1952 the church moved away and the building was used for archival sto rage; the organ was rehoused in Arnhem. The building was vacated in 1989 and, despite numerous proposals, remained unoccupied for a number of years. With the arrival of the De Trust theater company, the building again has a totally different function . Yet, throughout its many transformations, the spatial power of the church has remained palpable; the building feels almost inviolab le. The budget for the theater was limited, forcing careful choices about where to intervene. The theater is located on the first floor, so that space is left free on the ground floor for other programmatic functions. Instead of an organ, there is now a piece of 'furnitu re ' which incorporates everything new including stairs to the main upper floor, a bar and kitchen, and the technical areas of the theater. The detailing emphasizes the idea that old and new should be kept separate. If De Trust is rehoused in the future, the building can become a church once again. The essentials of architecture are achieved through frugal spatial organization and theatrical color, light and atmosphere.

verdichtingsoperatie enclosure

openbaar vervoer public transportation

groene ader

庐 I' ' '

路~~ :

green belt o

bestaande elementen exist ing elements

Eco-Town AI mere

The waters of the IJsselmeer originally covered the site. Over the last 25 years, the new town of Almere has been created on reclaimed land, w ith 3,000 dwellings being built every year. The rapid growth of this sprawling new town is a response to the huge demand for housing from nearby Amsterdam. This proposal, which envisions continued growth from the years 2005-2015, defines a new identity for Almere: Eco-town of the Netherlands. Because so much of Holland has been reclaimed from the sea, there is a strong t radition of creatin g landscape. This proposal seeks to shape the identity of the new town of Almere through the use of the sea, lakes, canals, wetlands, meadows and woods.

Analysi<: Area

Strategy: Area

An agrarian grid . From d1ke to di\((> the hof1Zon. Water.vays form

~ strij: along the Hoge Vaart

t~:e

rn.a1n StrUCture, grasp111g the

ha~ mttx1mum contact with the open polder landscape.

length and breadth o f the polder.

Analysis: Line

Strategy: line

The d e line 1s the boundary. From

Tt路.e \IIJ.lge under the dike stands

the d .k.e one can take in the world outSide and survey the n@l.'l land.

on the bordet ot two ;\'01'1d_s, two holi4:ons. It {1Jiminal'3 tn AJmete Have-n. The notth'l\lt"'.t cornef of

thi' p<>lder i<; a zor.e of val')'ln<J width along tM dike.

Analysis: Point The YMrwa!er lake (sand

ex(avau.on for burldlflg the ( l!y) is

sup~nmpoired

on the gr d.

Strategy: Point To -;tref'lgthe-n. 1.1\rove1sion

tt~e

e;<pa~ded \>~tcr form~

the

center of Almete. Ac.ross the water one can see all tht> districts o f the city.

Almere is projected as a town of nature and the landscape, of sport and recreation -a new town and not just an extension of Amsterdam. The present city, Almere-Stad, will be oriented towards the enlarged Weerwater lake at the center of the town. The present harbor, Almere-Haven, is to be rebuilt. Two new economic impulses are proposed the Center for Environmental Design and the Stichtse Brug, a town for living and working. The four centers - city, harbor, Center for Environmental Design and Stichtse Brug - will be connected by a network of public transport services and by landscaped residential areas with as few paved surfaces as possible. This proposal defines where building is and is not allowed. In particular, the whole of the area to the northwest of Almere is intended to be preserved as wetlands. This area connects the Oostervaarderplassen with the 'green heart' of the Netherlands and provides an excellent, extensive recreation area between Amsterdam and Almere. A new railway station to be built at the center of this natural setting will interweave town and landscape With the development of this landscape, transportation and residential infrastructure, Almere will be transformed from having an abundance of building land to having a shortage, and the uncontrolled growth of the region will be channeled to more environmentally responsible ends.

Public Library Almelo

The site chosen by t he municipality of Almelo for the new public library is located between the remains of a once-flourishing textile industry, postmodern urban renewal, and the town hall designed by De Stijl architect

J.J.P. Oud . The client's ambition was to have a building which did not look like a traditional library. Instead, the building should project an image wh ich would appeal to the leisure market. The complex urban design context and t he client's ambitious program -aiming at innovation on many fronts- presented a formidable challenge. Diverse program components- including an information center, a reading cafe, a studio for loca l rad io, reading corners and book storage - are articulated spatially and volumetrically The bu ilding consists of two volumes with staggered split level sections separated by a narrow void. This void is criss-crossed by stairs which, like gangplanks, appear not to be fixed. Movement through the void creates a dynamic sense of the spaces. From the stairs, the whole interior of t he li brary can be seen . The distinct characters of the spaces are stressed through variety in the placement of bookshelves, the use of material and color.

Likewise, exterior volumes are distinguished by form and material. Three fan-like concrete walls terminate with the fu ll height glazed facades of the study areas. The zinc clad roof facing the town hall is designed as a discrete volume. Head elevations at the north and south ends of the building are clad with ultramarine silicone glazed panels. On the ground floor the elongated volume of the information center and reading cafe has a transparent, sawtooth facade set back from the street. In contrast the slightly curved copper clad facade of the upper floors follows the line of the street and emphasizes the closed character of the book storage areas. As a result of their material articulation, the ultramarine of the head elevations and the oxidizing copper of the street facade enter into a modest dialogue with Oud's town hall.

Third

First

20m

entrance 2 reading cafe

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Information center children's library void balcony cu lture fiction study area

10 media room 11

radio studio

12 offices

13 mechanical plant

Ground

Herdenkingsplein Maastricht

This scheme for new housing within the medieval city of Maastricht seeks to intensify the urban quality of the site w ithout imitating the character of the existing buildings. Within the fabric of Maastricht, the site was idiosyncratic. Partially bounded by a stone wall, it was an open space surrounded by an amorphous mix of industrial buildings, housing and an undistinguished academic building. The town plan called for postmodern architecture, simplistically prescribing style rather than considering the underlying structure of the city. The scheme makes a new public square in the city which has an intimate character. The new building completes the west side of the existing open space, thus enclosing the square. Two four-story buildings- a long slab block and a shorter block which is offset to create a pedestrian lane leading to Brusselsestraat to the north -contain 52 two-bedroom dwellings. Ground level units are entered directly from the square. Three vertical circulation cores and external galleries on each floor provide access to upper level units. Six owner-occupied houses are located along the pedestrian lane. A colonnade is the demarcation between the square and the dwellings, between public and private. The colonnade also extends across the face of the existing housing on the south side of the new square, knitting together new and existing.

The facade eschews the typical housing

The character of Maastricht is closely

image of the living room window with

tied to its medieval past It is not a city

potted plants on the sill. Dwellings are

of mirrors and marquetry, but rather of

not articulated as individual elements

tough materials like steel, wood and

but as an abstract layered whole unified

glass in their original, unpolished form .

behind a screen of varnished cedar.

Stone salvaged from a nearby demolit ion

Galleries and individual balconies are

site is used on the wa lls of the shared

minimally detailed so as not to attract

staircases. This same stone is used to

attention. Rather than a merely additive

repair the existing wall surrounding

collection of separate entities, the

part of the site and to construct storage

housing is conceptualized as a collective

space. The new bu ilding thus becomes

which sustains the square and which,

tightly integrated into the historic fabric

in turn, is sustained by the square.

w ithout imitating the styles of the past The design of the public square is restrained, creating a serene. almost sacred place in the city. This is achieved by using the simplest of materials: granite cobble stones, traces of stainless steel, and concrete. The ambiance of the space is softened by a few trees. It is a tranquil oasis, both open and intimate.

Brouwersg racht Amsterdam

The design for this small infill site at the corner of Brouwersgracht and Baanbrugsteeg in Amsterdam provides seven owner-occupied apartments and one studio. The challenge is how to insert a new building into a historica l urban context of fine 17th and 18th century brick townhouses along one of the old canals of Amsterdam. The site consists of a broad and a narrow bay. The broad bay faces the primary street and t he canal, while th e narrow bay has frontage both on the street and the alley. A double height studio with a mezzanine has its own entrance from the street. The entrance to the upper level apartments is on Brouwersgracht, with vertical circulation via an internal toplit stair in the broad bay. Three types of apartments, all with an open floor plan, are incorporated in t he scheme: a wide unit, a narrow unit and a penthouse. Kitchen s and bathrooms are compact and placed to create as much free space as possible. Only the entrance halls can be closed by sl iding doors. The openness of the plan maximizes user flexibility; the bedroom, fo r example, can alternatively be used as a dining room . The apartments on the second, third and fourth floorseach with a small private balcony at t he rear of the building -a re intended to be occupied by one person. The penthouse on the fifth floor is a two-person unit w ith a roof garden overlooking the city.

~i- n

i II

Second

Ground

..... ""

~ .

I· :-

-·

•

I 0

,......-,______ 0

1 studio 2 entrance hall

3 sto rage units 4 hving

5 bedroom 6 dining room 7 study 8 terrace

The street facade of the living rooms in the wide bay is designed as a frame infilled entirely with glass. The glazing is screened by exterior shutters which open to create French balconies overlooking the canal. In contrast, at the corner of the site, the living rooms of the apartments in the narrow bay are articulated as a brick tower with large punched openings . Beyond the tower, the alley facade is a plinth of masonry with vertical western red cedar boarding above . The cedar cladding in turn wraps the rear facade. Windows on the alley and the rear elevation are smaller and more discreet, providing daylight and views but also giving the inhabitants a measure of privacy. Within this modest building, distinction is thus made between street and alley, public and private, frame and wall . The building is both obviously new and carefully related to the architectural and urban nuances of this sensitive historic context.

FacultY. of Economics ana Management Utrecht University

The building is situated in the so-cal led kasbah zone of the Utrecht campus. The kasbah, a traditional feature of North Af rican cities, is characterized by compact, low-level bu ild ings and beaut ifu lly tended courtyards. Following this model, a three st ory building is designed to enclose three new courtyards. To create a building that is more than just an educational facil ity, it is important to give students an opportunity to gather informally, eat, drink, study or relax . Consequently an informal atmosphere and flexi bility are central to the scheme qualit ies which are reflected in generous circulation spaces that also incorporate areas for meeting. Financial constra ints, considered an incentive rather than a problem, gave rise to a design full of surprising contrasts that establish a variety of atmospheres in the building. Oppositions between rough and refined, concrete and wood, complex and simple, can be fe lt throughout.

The building has a clear organizational structure. On the north side where the main entrance is located, is the congress zone which contains four large lecture rooms, a multi-media library and a restaurant overlooking a canal. The lecture rooms are closed boxes which seem to float within an elongated transparent volume parallel to the street These boxes are clad with different materials- wood, expanded metal mesh, stucco and metal - so that each has its own character. Between the lecture halls, a series of balconies has been created on different levels which can be used for casual conversations, meetings and waiting areas between lectures.

Two corridors at right angles to the conference wing, provide access to classrooms overlooking the ce ntral patio. Staff offices and the administration are situated along the three outer edges and enclose the building on the south, east and west sides. At the six crossings of the corridors, a square has been created for each discipline.

First

Ground

SOm

1 entrance 2 restaurant

3 library 4 lecture hall 5 Zen cou rt

6 7 8 9

ju ngle cour t water court classrooms offices I ad min istration

The courtyards form the heart of the building and help to determine the atmosphere of the surrounding spaces. Each makes its own contribution . In the introverted Zen courtyard, inspired by Japanese gardens for meditation, two kinds of gravel are separated by a steel strip. Fourteen large boulders are carefully placed on the gravel . Th is composition in stone gives the patio a static character which is slightly softened by the presence of two delicate trees. In contrast, the appearance of the water court is in constant f lux. Because of the reflective water su rface and the landscape visible through the glass wall at the south end of the courtyard, the atmosphere changes with each season and each type of weather. The central jungle courtyard is the liveliest and the biggest of the three outdoor spaces and the only one w hich can be inhabited. At the level of the first floor it is crossed by open steel footbridges with built-in seating . Bamboos of different colors and heights and with a great variety of leaf texture are allowed to overrun the steel bridges, creating a dynamic ambiance.

-o_ I

,A (

...

'I lj , ,_

Grootha ndelsma rkt The Hague

With its favorable location on the edge of the The Hague, the walled site was designated as the Groothandelsmarkta wholesale market for fru it and vegetables- in 1932. However, as the city expanded, the market became congested and less accessible for the trucks of both vendors and buyers. Traders moved to other locations that were easier to reach, and in 1988 an invited competition was held to design new housing on the sit e of the former market.

路

The municipal authority wanted to create a cohesive new neighborhood where people would want to live for many years and where they would feel involved both in their home and their surroundings. The target group

tj' I I -~

J! . --路

\.;::.-

consisted mainly of young fami lies from surrounding areas - the Schilderswijk, Transvaal and Moerwijk. Homes w ith a f lexible design which could be adapted over time would reduce t he need for rehousing, so that residents w ould want to remain even if their circumstances changed. Public amenities and job opportunit ies formed part of the program. Finally, it was stipulated

that t he entire neighborhood should ~

1 The Ships

2 The Waves 3 The Beacon 4 The Anchor 5 Marktweg 6 Viljoenschool

100m

have a recognizable identity.

The scheme consists of 809 homes. Of

The plan of the site has been carefully

these, 188 are for sale and the remaining

considered in order to make a positive

621 are rented accommodation, half in

contribution to the development of

the public sector. The development also

community life. The combination

includes approximately 230 square

of individual townhouses, collective

meters of retail space and a primary

apartment buildings, and public amenities

school with twelve classrooms and a

is supported by the design of the ground

gymnasium. Although housing density

plane. Individual gardens and paths

is high, the Groothandelsmarkt has

within the townhouse complexes are

a generous provision of green space

complemented by collective outdoor

and public space.

spaces such as playgrounds, squares and

The scheme combines two different

spaces are included in the neighborhood:

types of urban dwelling: the townhouse

a square with trees on the northeast

with its garden firmly related to the

side of the site, a central square, and

public gardens. Three primary public

ground on which it is bui lt, and the

park-like public gardens on the south-

apartment in the sky with generous

west side along the canal. A boulevard

views of the city. The low-rise units

which winds through the neighborhood

form a mat across the entire site,

is designed with w ide pavements on

and the high-rise buildings are situated

both sides so that there is enough

at the center, like ships with waves of

room for pedestrians, prams and

low-rise housing breaking against them .

tricycles. Footpaths, too, with their

The variety of dwelling types and of

semi-public character f unction as

room arrangements within the dwellings

meeting points. Residents' contracts

makes the neighborhood attractive

1nclude a clause forbidding fences,

to many population sectors and

sheds and high hedges. This openness

modes of life.

helps to foster informal contacts between neighbors and ensures that the view f rom the dwell ings remains free and unobstructed. The green quality of the neighborhood is reinforced, with private and public outdoor spaces forming a single visual entity.

At the same time, the existing wall at the perimeter of the site gives this new neighborhood an enclosed character which helps stimulate mutual involvement of the residents. To increase the sense of community, the bu ildings are given names. People live in Het Schip (the ship), Het Anker (the anchor), Het Baken (the beacon),or De Galven (the waves) and not in an anonymous block of flats or row of houses. In Het Baken diversification is taken a stage further w ith murals on each floor opposite the elevators. Each floor thus acq uires its own character and is known by a name instead of just a number. At the foot of Het Baken along the central square is the primary school which forms the heart of the neighborhood.

lsala College Silvolde

lsala College is a secondary school for 750 pupils . Since 1970, the school had been housed in an ever-expanding, expedient collection of temporary buildings. The layout of the temporary buildings was inconvenient, with long walking distances between facilities, and blocked good views through the trees to an adjacent river and the meadows. The two main objectives in designing the new school therefore were to create a more compact building and to inflect the building to recognize the features of the surrounding landscape. A new two story building concentrates the activities of the school on the restricted site, with playing fields, a school yard and bicycle storage taking up the remainder of the available space. The form of the new building -a slightly curved, elongated bar, with a wide central corridor - is inspired by an existing row of mature oak trees. Classrooms for theoretical subjects are on the south side of the corridor with large windows providing panoramic views of the river landscape beyond the oak trees. The southwest facade is clad with timber paneling in keeping with the wooded surroundings and shaded by a

canopy supported on slender. tree-like posts. Science labs and directors' offices are on the northeast side of the corridor. This facade is a rough, irregular wall of brick which recalls the many masonry factories formerly located along the river. Because of the curvature of the building and the way in which the long, linear bar fractures at various points to adjust to the topography, moving along the corridor offers unfolding, ever-chang1ng views. At the bend between the two wings, adjacent to the entrance on the north side of the building, are the zinc-clad communal spaces of the school. The double-height library is at ground level with a computer lab above. In order to minimize their impact in the landscape, the larger facilities are pushed down into the ground, creating a split level rela ti onship with the classroom and laboratory wings. Circulation between level s occurs across a void. The assembly hall, which also functions as an auditorium, is a half level up from the ground floor, and two gymnasiums with changing rooms are located a half level below grade together with cloakrooms which serve both levels. Windows at grade allow views down into the gymnasiums from the playing fields.

......-路路

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

10 20t>O gymnas1ums locke rs I showers cloakrooms library entrance assemb ly hall void classrooms science labs of fi ces comp uter lab

Gymnasium

City Hall Nieuwegein

The city of Nieuwegein needs a prominent building to act as a beacon in the city center and to help the citizens of the city to develop a col lective identity. At the same time, the city hall must be inviting and easily accessible for those using its services as well as for the casual passer-by. City officials are also concerned about the quality of the offices in wh ich their staff work and, more generally, about the long-term implication s of environmental susta inability. The compact form of the four story building is dominated by a prominent roof, a floating volume that keeps the bui lding forever anchored in the heart of the city. The wood-clad soffit continues unbroken from outside to inside. Likewise, at ground level, the water garden and the stone paving of the exterior square extend into the entrance hall. Outside and inside are separated only by a minimally detailed glazed facade. In this way, the scheme intensifies the public character of the town hall and integrates the building into the city. The project has been designated by the government as a demonstration of energy-saving and envi ronmental sustainability. Because of its compact form, energy consumption in the building is reduced. The use of durable natural materials w ith minimal applied fin ishes will enhance the color and texture of the building, simplify maintenance, and extend its life.

Dutch Open-Air Museum Arnhem

The Dutch Open-Air Museum, founded in 1912, is situated in the rolling landscape of the forest of Arnhem . The museum park, an area of 44 acres, features historic buildings from the regions of the Netherlands. In addition, the museum has a collection of clothes and jewelry but no space to exhibit them . To make the activities of the museum less dependent on the weather, new indoor amenities are being added. These include an information desk, a museum shop and cafe, exhibition galleries, and a new multi-media show. The lan dscape is the starting point for the design. Visitors walk through the trees on a path of recycled cobblestones past a mysterious egg-shaped building. A 145-meter long wall divides the landscape. The wall, a mosaic of old and new bricks, forms the gate to the Open-Air Museum . Behind the wall is a spacious, transparent hall with a view of the open meadow beyond . The glass hal l is the hinge of the scheme . The first floor houses the

,-----,___,---SOm 25

1 entrance 2 museum shop 3 foyer 4 education center + informa tion 5 auditorium 6 ca fe 7 kitchen 8 panorama theater 9 stage platform 10 off ice 11

mechanical

museum entrance and shop, a cafe, the knowledge center and an auditorium. At the lower level are areas for changing exhibitions and a semi-permanent exhibition of clothes and jewelry. The egg-shaped building, connected by a tunnel, contains a rotating panoramic multi-media theater.

Library Delft University of Technology

The site for the new library on the 1960s campus of the technological university is overshadowed by a large, brutalist concrete auditorium by the Team Ten architects, Van den Broek & Bakema. In responding to this context, the new library reveals itself primarily as a landscape rather than a building. The scheme transforms the site into a large expanse of grass in which the existing auditorium is like a spaceship, or alternatively, a huge frog nestled in the green grass. The grass roof of the library, freely accessible for walking and lounging, creates a new amenity for the whole campus. The inclined plane of grass is supported by slender steel columns, and the large hall thus created underneath is enclosed with canted, fully glazed walls. The base of the slope to the west is marked by a broad flight of steps leading up to a recessed entrance. A huge cone pierces the green expanse, articulated by a necklace of glazing in the plane of the roof. Supported on splayed steel columns, the cone houses four levels of traditional study spaces connected by a helical stair. Within the cone, a central void provides daylight from a glazed roof to the internal reading rooms. The apex of the cone is formed by an open frame. Extending 40 meters above grade and floodlit in darkness, the cone acts as a beacon on the campus day and night.

4 o~ lO

1 entrance

em.

2 book shop

3 4 5 6

ca fe semina r rooms circulation desk periodicals

7 reference

8 wall of books 9 camp 10 . u t er study carrels offiCes 11 read ing room

The density of the mass of the planted roof has significant insulating properties, so that the interior of the building is less susceptible to changes in temperature . In addition, the mass provides excellent soun dproofing, and gradual evaporation of rainwater held by the vegetation provides natural cooling in the summer. To avoid disfiguring the roof landscape with mechanical cooling units and for ecological reasons, cold storage- the capacity to store cold or heat in ground water- is used. For this building, the storage is in a layer of sand at a depth of 45 to 70 meters below grade. The sand is sea led off above and below by an impenetrable layer of clay. Two tubes are laid in the sand 60 meters apart. In winter, relatively warm ground water is pumped up through one tube, used to temper the building, and then pumped back into the other tube. In summer, the water takes the opposite route, with the relatively cold ground water being used to cool the building.

·•

-~ /.l-....;1@ .: ••

L..

The glazed facades also play a critical role in the environmental strategy of the building. These facades consist of an outer double glazed unit, a 140 mm wide ventilated air cavity with solar shading, and a slid ing inner leaf of toughened glass. Air is supplied into the cavity at floor level and sucked out at high level on each f loor. Opening w indows incorporated in the facade are small so as to disrupt the flow of air within the cavity as little as possible . The building provides approximately 1,000 study spaces, 300 of which are equipped with computer terminals. In addition to the study areas within the cone, spaces are provided at ground and first floor levels adjacent to the glazed north facade. In contrast, most of the books are kept in temperature and humidity controlled storerooms in the basement They may be requested for retrieval by library staff and are delivered to the circulation desk by a glazed elevator. Some 80,000 volumes of the most recent publications are available to the public. These are tangibly close at hand, displayed in a four story, suspended steel-framed bookcase si lhouetted against an ultramarine waiL Finally, thousands of cu rrent periodicals are on open display at ground level.

In addition to serving the local needs of university students and staff, the library provides distance reference and information services for many companies and industries. Designated as the national library for technical and natural sciences, the facility is also connected electronically to major libraries around the world . The library thus satisfies both electronic needs and the sensory pleasures derived from being able to touch and smell books. Sta ff offices are planned at the perimeter of the building, rising to five stories at the southeast corner. The east wing is designed as a double loaded corridor with support facilities on the dark interior side and offices along the glazed outer edge. The offices look out through a slender canted colonnad e to a row of mature trees along the street. The south wing is single loaded, with open circulation galleries and stairs expressed within the large central space of the library. The office wall along this corridor is a collage of transparent and several kinds of translucent glass, and the exterior window wall of the offices is fully glazed. The rich quality of dappled light admitted into the heart of the building through these many layers of glass helps to activate the vast interior space. Likewise a book shop and a coffee bar activate the library socially.

Mecanoo 1984 -1999

Partners

Since building the competition-winning

Henk Doll

design for social housing for young people on Rotterdam's Kruisplein (1980-1985) the Delft-based office of Mecanoo has been working steadily at

Francine Houben

an extensive and varied oeuvre. In the early years t he work consisted mainly of social housing projects in urban renewal areas. In 1987, the firm was awarded the Rotterdam-Maaskant prize for Young Architects for the high quality of the work. Today, with a staff of around 50 people directed by Henk Doll, Francine Houben and Chris de Weijer, the work is focused on complex, multifunctional buildings and integral urban developments, combining urban planning, landscape, architecture and interior design. The concern for the expressive potential o f space, form and material is combined with a reflective practice focused on the dialogue with clients and future users.

Chris de Weijer

Staff 1999 Robert Alewijnse, Frederique van Andel, Lemke Ba kker, Sylvie Beugels, Carlo Bevers, Henk Bouwer, Gerrit Bras, Sylvie Bruyn inckx, Anne Busker, Benjamin Dobbin, Kathrien Donneux, Patrick Eichhorn, Aart Fransen, Markus Freigang, Tom Grootscholten, Roelof Heida, Hanneke Hollander, A lfa Hugelmann, Frank Huibers, Sjaak Janssen, Huib de Jong, Marcel Kellner, Arth ur Kleinjan, Joke Klumper, Leen Kooman, Ellen van de Laar, Judith Mastenbroek, Rinie Mersel, Loes Oudenaarde, Ana Rocha, Peter van der Schans, Shima van der Ster, Pascal Tetteroo, Michel Tombal, Fra ncesco Veenstra, Astrid van Vliet, Daan van der Vlist, Kathrin Weiss, Bianca Wennekes, Barbara Wieland, Antonie de Wilde

Staff 1984- 1998 Monica Adams, Marjolijn Adriaansche, Dianne Anyika, Douglas Ardern, Allard Assies, Fedrico Babina, W inod Bansie, Jan Bekkering, Brenda Bello, Maartje van de Berg, Patricia van den Berge, Hans Berger, Tom Berkhout, Gemma Bresheuvel, Giusseppma Borri, Roe l Bosch Reitz, Rene Boum an, Sandra Bouwman, Heleen Bathol, Harry Boxelaar, Lresbeth van Brakel, Joost van Bree, Maarten van Bremen, Barbara van de Broek, Olivier Brouwez, Birgit de Bruin, Maaike Brurns, John Buijs, Ard Buijsen, Katinka Buters, Pedro Campos da Costa, Sara Carbonera, Enrico Cerasi, Johanna Clearly, Stephen Collier, Katja van Dalen, Mirj am van Dam, Marcel Davidse, Michael Dax, Maarten Dickhoff, Annemieke Diekman, Paul Dljkstra, Eric Drreenhuizen, Otto Driessen, Ellen Droogers, Simone Drost , lneke Dubbeldam, Stanley Dyna mus, Jo Edwards, Judith Egberink, Jeroen Ekama, Johan van der Esch, Han na Euro, lnma Fernandez Puig , Saskia Fokkema, Els Frankemolen, Otto Fitzi, Sabrina Friedl, Ursula Frit z, Dick van Game ren, Frank van Gameren, Marijke Gantvoort, Chrrstina Gestra, Judi th Gieseler, Hans Goverde, Reuske Groenewold, Lucretia van Groningen, Willem de Groot, Kerstin Hahn, Jeroen Hamers, Gert Jan van der Harst, Dietmar Haupt, Nicole Haustermann, Saskia He bert, Hans van der Heijden, Susan ne Hendriks, Maxime Heng, Saskia Heusmann, Arthur Hilgersom, Aernoud van 't Hof, Ida van den Hoogen, Judith Hopfengartner, Hans van der Horst, Lad a Hrsak, Dani ell e Huls, Astrid Huwald, Filip John, Peter Jollie, Bastiaan Jongerius, Birg it JOrg en hake, Tamara Klassen, Perry Klootwijk, Srmone Koch, Patrick Koschuch, Axel Koschany, Pim K6ther, Dirk Kriesten, Dorthe Kristensen, Thea Kupers, Harald Kurzhals, Alexandre Lambo ley, Maartje Lammers, Vanessa Lamoun ier de Assis, Rob Lemaire, Eric de Leeuw, Jeanne Lev, Paul -Martin Lied, Patrrck Longchamp, Ruth Lorenz, Anja Lubke. Chariot Maas, Lisette Magis, Agnes Man deville, BJarne Mastenbroek, Aletta van Man en, Annemarre van der Meer, Eric Mesman, lneke Meijer, Math is Meyer, Andrea M6hn, Floor Moorman, Stephen Moylan, Alenca Mu lder, Christian Muller, Ton Muller, M ieke Nagtegaal, Laurie Neale, Ivan Nevzgodine, Miranda Nieboer, Siebold NiJenhuis, Jim Njoo, Kika Notten, Paul Numan, Clemens Nuyens, Leo Oorschot, Lex van Opstal, Robert Osinga, Nadia Pahladsrngh , Annette Pa sveer, Cock Peterse, Susanne Pietsch, Sylvia Prjnenborg, Lidwien Pikkemaa t, Luis Prres, Peter Plaisier, Annemieke Punter, Henny Pries, Martine Prokop, M arc Prosman, Marc Prins, Ans van Reeuwijk, William Richa rd s, Aagje Roelofs, Marc Roos, Paolo Rossetti, Claudia Ru itenberg, Shin Sakuma, Ton Salman, Rina Sand ers, Emmett Scanlon, Gerrit Schilder, Jeroen Schipper, Claudia Schmidt, Thomas Schonder, Jana Schu lz, Hu go Schut, Michael Seeling, Frank Seg aar, Annemiek Segeren, Jud ith Siegeler, Nicky Sluis , Nienke Smit s van Burgst, Jan van Spanje, Pieter Spoelstra, Lars Spuybroek, Marja Starn, Verena Steiner, Bas Streppel, Matthew Strong, Mechtild Stuh lmacher, Leen Temmrnk, Claire Teurlings, Janos Tiba, Paddy Tomesen, Graciella Torre Sidavvy, Sandra Vegter, Tom Vanhaelen, Maqolern Verbrst, Birgit Verburg\, Bernhard Vester, Heikki Viirr, M ike Vink, Ruth Visser, Floor de Voogt, Monique Voogd, Wendy Voorwinde, Nathalie de Vries, Ell en van der Wal, Gert Wiebing, David Willems, Huw W iliams, Holger Wirthwhein (deceased), Stef de Wit, Birgitte WolfFoldesi, Marco van Zal, Wim van Zijl, Conny Zingler Former Partners Roelf Steenhui s (1984 - 1989), Erick van Eg eraat (1984- 1995)

Awards and Competitions 1981 Youth Housing Competition, first prize. Kruisplein, Rotterdam: f lexible housmg for young people in the in ner city Completed 1985 1984 Tomorrow's Habitat, UNESCO ideas competition, first prize

1994 Nomination OmgevingsarchitectuurpriJs Prize for environmental architecture Ringvaartplasbuurt east, Rotterdam

Jhr Victor de Stuerspenning Herdenkingsplein, Maastricht City of Maastricht

Caminada Competition, first prize Delft: 22 social housing units Completed 1987

Nomination "Bronzen Bever," government prize for building and housing Park Haagseweg, Amsterdam M inistry of Housing, Regional Development and the Environment

1985 Hofstede de Grootkade Competition, first prize Groningen: 20 apartments on a canal Completed 1989

Nomination Scholenbouwprijs prize for best school building School 'de Brug,' Leiden Ministry of Education, Culture and Science

Jan Blankenstraat Competition, shared first prize Stationsbuurt, Den Haag: 122 social housing units in urban renewal area Urban development plan in cooperation w ith OAK and Van Herk & de Kleyn Completed 1992

1996 Scholenbouwpnj's prize for best school building lsala College, Silvolde Ministry of Education, Culture and Science

1987 Rotterdam-Maaskant Prize for Young Architects Practice oeuvre City of Rotterdam

Nomination Mies van der Rohe Pavilion Award for European Architecture Faculty of Economics and Management Utrecht University Fundacio Mies van der Rohe

1988 Park Haagseweg Competition, first prize Amsterdam: 380 private houses and luxury apartments Completed 1992

1997 Westergasfabriek Terrain Competition, fi rst prize Mecanoo in cooperation with Kathryn Gustafson Amsterdam: park on the site of a former gasworks In progress

1990 Nieuwe Maas Prize Hillekop Housing, Rotterdam City of Rotterdam

1998 Ypenburg Competition, first prize Ypenburg : urban design of garden city In progress

1993 Berlagevlag Offices for Gravura Lithographers, The Hague City of The Hague

Nationale Staalprijs (National Steel Prize) Library, Delft University of Technology Steel Building Institute

Delft University of Technology Library Competition, first prize Completed 1997

Exhibitions

1983 Ruimte voor ruimte, Van Reekmuseum, Apeldoorn.

1994 Prinsenland, Netherlands Embassy, Lima .

1984 Architectuur en Planning 1940-1980, Paleis op de Dam, Amsterdam.

1995 design NOW' design from the Netherlands, Cen tre de design de I'Universite du Quebec Montreal.

1985 Bienna!e lange Architecten 1985, Beurs van Berlage, Amsterda m.

1996 National Identity Aspects of European Design, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek.

1985-89 /'Architecture est un jeu magnifique, traveling exhibition starting at Centre Pompidou, Paris.

Architektur in den Niederlanden, Haus der Architekten, Stuttgart.

1987 Nieuw Nederland, seaside landscape for the New Netherlands, Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam. 1988 Reweaving the Urban Fabric; International Approaches to In fill Housing, Thomas Paine Gallery, New York. 1989 Mecanoo, Galerie Puntgaaf, Groningen .

Wohnungbau in den Niederlanden, Museum am Ostwa l, Dortmund . Arquitectos Sin Fronteras, 19th International UIA Congress, Colegio Oficial de Aparejadores y Arquitectos Tec n1 cos de Barcelona. Architectes Sans Frontieres Belgique, Architekten zonder grenzen Belgie, Brussels. 1997 Ausstellung vorbildlicher Bibliotheksbauten in NWR, Bibl iotheca 97, Dortmu nd.

La Biennal de Barcelona, Young Architects in Europe, Barcelona.

Nieuwe Oogst, Stadhuis Den Haag, The Hague.

1990 Stadstimmeren, Rotterdam.

De mens als mol, een tentoonstelling over transport en verblijf onder de grand, Techniek Museum, Delft.

1991 Architecture Biennale, Venice.

Continuita, Sperimentazione, lnnovazione, SAlE 97 - Cuore Mostra, Bologna.

1992 Obra Reciento, Colegio Oficial de Arquitectos de Madrid, Madrid.

1998 Constructen, ontwerpen voor stad en land, de Paviljoen s, Almeers Centrum Hedendaagse Kunst, Almere.

1993 Mecanoo: ein junges Architektenteam aus Delft, Architektur Forum, Zurich. Een nieuwe impuls voor de tuinwrjk, de tuinen van Prinsenland, Nederlands Architectuur lnstituut, Rotterdam . Style. Standard and signature in Dutch architecture of the nineteenth and twentieth centruries, Nederlands Architectuur lns tituut. Rotterdam .

'Vrouwendag' - Vrouwen en Wetenschap, Techniek Museum, Delft. Ve Prix europeen d'architecture, 'Pavilion Mies van der Rohe', Paris. \frouwen en architectuur, perspektief op Haaglanden, The Hag ue.

Selected Publications

Books Cusvel ler, Sjoerd, ed. iv1ecanoo, v1j'fenlwintig werken (01 0, Rotterdam, 1987) Doll, Henk (M aas, Charlotte, ed Komposities voor stad en waning (Gemeente Groningen, Groni ngen, 1989). lbelings, Hans. Modernism without dogma (Nederlands Architectuur lnstituut, Rijksdienst Beeldende Kunst, Rotterdam, 199 1) pp. 34-37. Rood, Lydia and Prat, Natalia Torella. iv1ecanoo archilekten (Fundacion cultural del co1egio de arquitectos de Madrid, Edicrones Pronaos, M adrid, 1994) Somer, Kees. M ecanoo (01 0, Ro tterdam, 1995). arquitectos holandeses (Junta de Andalucia, Seville, 1995) pp.80-113. Denk, Andreas; Sarosi-Schonmetz, Alice; and Wodzak, Jens, eds. Debau-Kongress 1998: Konvention. Innovation Vision Architektur-Foren (Architektur Verlag No rd GmbH, Essen, 1998) pp. 150-16 I

Articles on Mecanoo Polin, Giacomo and Barbieri, Umberto "Acuni giovan i architetti olandesi " Casabella (July I August 1984) pp. 26-27 . Kloos, Maarten. Hollande, "Generatron Europe." AMC. Revue d'architecture (December 1988- January 1989) pp. 92-107 . Molinari, L. "Gruppo Mecanoo Edifici residenziali a Delft e Rotterdam." Domus (July I Augus t 1989) pp. 33-42. DiJk, Hans van. "Pays-Bas. Nuages sur Ia tradition modern e." L'Architecture d'Aujourdhui (December 1989) pp. 11 6 -266. Molinari, L. " Gruppo Mecanoo Edifici residenziali a Hrllekop Rotterdam. " Domus (July I Au gust 1990) pp. 29-39.

79 Toorn, Roemer van. "Architectuur om de architectuur: Modern isme als ornament in het recente werk van Mecanoo." Archis (November 1992) pp 25-31 Gazz1niga, Lucca. "Mecanoo Quartierre Prinsen land, Rotterdam." Domus (July I August 1993) pp. 38-47. Koschany, Axel. "Fassaden, Ans1chten aus den Niederlanden." Das Bauzentrum (January 1994) pp. 3-5, 8-11' 18-25.

Rochussenstraat Rotterdam

Rodermond, Janny. "Uitwisseling van functies." de Architect (May 1995) pp. 110-113. "Metamorphose." Architektur lnnenarchitektur Technischer Ausbau (October 1996) pp. 54-57. "Representat1ver Riegel." Deutsche Bauzeitschrift (November 1996) pp. 49-56.

"Mecanoo. House with studio." GA Houses, no. 40(1994)pp. 45-57. Zevi, Luca. "Mecanoo." L'architettura (December 1994) pp. 854-872. "Mecanoo." Magazine Neuf N1euw, Architecture & Des1gn (January-February 1995) pp. 11-16. Caldenby, Claes. "Arkitekt: Mecanoo." Arkitektur (April 1995) pp. 26-31 Melet, Ed. "Zoeken naar het Afschuwwekkende Schone: Constructies Mecanoo." de Architect (October 1995) pp. 16-25.

De Trust Theater Amsterdam

Jagt, Martijn van der. "In Nieuw Trust-theater is van geldnood een deugd gemaakt." de Vo/kskrant (20 December, 1996) p. 13. Schwebel, Horst. "Von der K1rche zur City-Kirche?" Bauwelt (21 February 1997) pp. 353-359. Assche, Peter van. "Theater De Trust in Amsterdam." A + Architctuur (October-November 1997) p. 41.

Briegleb, T1ll. "A us der Rei he tanzen." Architektur & Wohnen (June-July 1996) pp. 107-116.

Eco-Town Mechelen, Brigitte van. "Mecanoo en 'de schoonheid van het banale' " Projekt & lnterieur (October 1996) pp. 32-35. Schweighofer, Kerstin. "In Holland wird Baukunst zum Volkssport." Art. Das Kunstmagazin (April 1997) pp. 26-33. "Mecanoo." Architecture and Urbanism (May 1997) pp. 22-25. Tromp, Jan. "Uiteindelijk overw1nt de natuur: De taaie bevlogenheid van Francine Houben." Polderpraal, de Volkskrant Magazine (13 September 1997)

AI mere

Tilman, Harm. "AI mere na 2005." de Architect (March 1997) pp. 19-21 Houben, Francine. "AI mere, city in the 'Gooi' region." Urban Design International (March 1997) pp. 13-21 Cusveller, Sjoerd. "Aimere tast de horizon af, op zoek naar haar toekomst." 8/auwe Kamer pro fie! (April 1997) pp. 22-30. "Aimere 2005-2015." Lotus international, (March 1998) pp. 84-85.

Public Library Almelo

"Mecanoo." Vivienda Europea (November J 995) pp. 88-9 1.

Breedveld, P. "Contextuele fragmentatie." de Architect (February 1995) pp. 64-71

Lootsma, Bart . "Abstecher nach Maastrich." Daidalos, no. 60 (June 1996) pp. 92-93 .

Caldenby, Claes. "Arkitekt: Mecanoo." Arkitek tur (April 1995) pp. 26-31

"Wohnanlage ' H e rdenki ngsple~n' in Maastrich t, Niederlande." Architektur + Wettbewerbe (September 1996) pp. 8-9.

Brouwers, R , ed. "Openbare bibliotheek." Architectuur in Nederland. Jaarboek 199411995 (NAi Publishers, 1995) p. 102- 107.

"Herdenkingsplein Maastricht." Lotus International (March 1997) pp. 56-58.

Stieber, Nancy. " Modern Departures. " Progressive Architecture (June 1995) pp. 96-101

"Rezidenza su una piazza a Maastricht, Olanda. " Housing (October 1997) pp. 60-61 .

Hulsman, Bernard. "De nieuwe dronkemansbouwkunst." NRC Handelsblad (9 Ju ne 1995)

"Maastricht Historic Quarter Apartments." The Architecture of Multiresidential Buildings (Arco, 1997) pp 76-83.

"OHen tliche Bibliothek in Almelo, Niederlande." Architektuur + Wettbewerbe (December 1995) pp. 44-45

Brouwersgracht Futagawa, Yukio. "Mecanoo. Faculty of Economics and Management, Utrecht Polytechnic. Library, Almelo." GA Document (December 1995). Roux, Caroline. "A Library of ideas." Wallpaper* (September-October 1996) pp. 30-31 . Heuel, W im. "Mecanoos Bibliothek in Almelo" Der Architek t, no. 5 ( 1998) pp. 285-286.

Amsterdam Metz, Tracy and Russell, James S. "Do the Dutch Do It Better? " Architectural Record (January 1998) pp. 122-123.

Faculty of Economics and Management Utrecht University

Herdenkingsplein Maastricht

Roos, Rob bert. "Zwevende dozen. " Trow; (2 7 May 1995) p. 23.

"Herdenkingsplein in Maastricht, Niederlande." Architektuur + Wettbewerbe, (March 1995) pp. 22-23.

Adriaansche, Marjolein. "Die lnnenhoffe der Wirtschaftsfakulta t in Utrecht." Topos (September 1995) pp. 70-76.

" tpure " Techniques & Architecture (April 1995) pp. 85-88.

Melet, Ed. "Zoeken naar het afschuwwekkende Schone." de Architect (October 1995) pp. 16-25.

"Massstabswechsel. " Bauwelt ( 12 May 1995) pp. 1040- 1043'

"Mecanoo." GA Document (December 1995) pp. 66-91.

Stieber, Nancy. "Modern Departures." Progressive Architecture (June 1995) pp. 96-101 .

"Faculteitsgebouw." Architectuur in Nederland Jaarboek 1995! 1996 (NAi Publishers, 1996) pp. 62-67 .

81 Hofmaan, Helga. "lnformell." Architektur lnnenarchitektur Technischer Ausbau (May 1996) pp. 41-45. Cleef, Conn1e van. "Kasbah Quads." The Architectural Review (June 1996) pp. 63-67. "Mecanoo. Faculty of Economics and Management Utrecht Polytechnic, The Netherlands 1991-1995." Architecture and Urbanism (September 1996) pp. 20-35. Lootsma, BarL':Facolta d1 econom1a aziendale, Utrecht." Domus (September 1996) pp. 16-23. Somer, Kees. "Wirtschaftfakultat in Utrecht." Baumeister, Zeitschrift fur Architektur (November 1996) pp. 34-39. lmagawa, Norihide. "Faculty of Economics and Management, Utrecht Polytechnic." Space Design (February 1997) p. 21. "Faculty of Economics and Management." International Architecture Yearbook (The Images Publishmg Group Pty Ltd, 1997) pp. 80-81

Groothandelsmarkt The Hague Vreeze, Noud de. "Buurtcultuur en architectonisch on twerp." Archis (February 1989) pp. 20-26. Rodermond, Janny. "Ontwerpen in dienst van buurtcultuur: Drie varian ten voor het Haagse Groothandelsmarktterrein." de Architect (March 1989) pp. 35-39. Reijndorp, Arnold. "Groothandelsmarkt als marktlokatie." de Architect (July-August 1990) p. 54-62. Graaf, Kees de. "Voorbeeld voor Vinex:" Bouw (September 1996) pp. 16-18. Graafland, Mark. "Voorgeschreven buurtcultuur ontspannen behandeld." de Architect (January 1997) pp. 50-53 Maas, Tom. "Aanrader: kunst in elke lifthal van de flat." Cobouw (26 September 1997) p. 9. Koster, Egbert, ed. "Woontoren Het Baken." Hoogbouw in Nederland 1990-2000 (NAi Publishers, 1997) pp. 90-91.

"Un claustra abierto." Arquitectura Viva (March-April 1997) pp. 90-97. "Faculty of Economics and Management." 5th Mies van der Rohe Pavilion Award for European Architecture (Eiecta, 1997) pp. 112-115.

Nieuwegein

Rooy, Max van. "Grenzeloze Ontwerpzucht." NRC Handelsblad (1 November 1997) p. 53.

Langejan, Wim. "Ontwerp nieuwe stadhuis oogst volop lof." Utrechts Nieuwsblad (13 September 1997) p. 1

Meens, Nor "Auf dem Campus von Utrecht." Bauwelt (21 November 1997) pp. 2470-2471. Tummers, Nic. H.M. Rietveldprijs 1997 (Thoth, 1997) pp. 6-7, 16. Coppola Pignatelli, Paola. "Facolta' di economia aziendale dell'universita' di Utrecht." l'architectura delle universita (cdp ed1trice, 1998) pp. 140-144. Schittich, Christian. "Fakultatsgebaude Universitat in Utrecht, Niederlande." Glasbau Atlas (lnstitut fur lnternat1onale Architektur Documentation GmbH, 1998) pp. 249-253.

City Hall

"Nieuwegein Gemeentehuis." Dossier Voorbeeldprojecten duurzaam en energ1ezuinig bouwen (Aeneas, 1997) pp. 70-71 Kers, Selma. "Architecten over duurzaam on twerp." Efficient (8 October 1998) pp. 8-9.

lsala College

Library

Silvolde

Delft University of Technology

Groenhart, Laura. "Silvolde: Karaktervolle nieuwbouw lsala College." Stedenbowt, Volume45, no. 516 (1994) pp. 15-16.

" Mecanoo architekten." Zodiac (September 1997) pp. 162-173.

Werner, F.R. " Floating objects." Bauwelt, (April 1995) pp. 780-785.

de Architect (February 1998) pp. 50-61

Rodemond, Janny. " Hybride architectuur."

Koekebakker, Olof. "Schoolgebouw van Mecanoo." Items, no. 4 (1995) p. 10. Rodermond, Janny. "Vreemd en toch zo vertrouwd."

Hu lsman, Bernard. " Het verlangen naar een gevelloos gebouw " NRC Handelsblad (17 March 1998) p. 9.

de Architect (October 1995) pp. 78-83.

" Centrale Bibliotheek, TU Delft. " Bouw -Document. Staalbouw (March 1998) pp. 18- 19

"Middelbare School. " Architectuur in Nederland Jaarboek 199511996 (NAi Publishers, 1996) pp. 56-61

Wortmann, Arthur. "De louteringsberg van Mecanoo." Archis (March 1998) pp. 66-73.

"Scholenbouwprijs 1996 ." Scholenbouwprijs 1996 (ICS-Adviseurs, 1996) pp . 1-43 .

Assche, Peter van. "Frog Needs Grass." Bauwelt (April 1998) pp. 752-757 .

"lsala College." International Architecture Yearbook (The Images Publishing Group Pty Ltd, 1997) p. 87 .

"Biblio theek TU Delft." Architectuur in Nederland Jaarboek 199711998 (NAi Publishers, 1998) pp . 130- 135.

"Mecanoo architekten." Zodiac (September 1997) pp. 162-173.

Dutch Open-Air Museum Arnhem Melet, Ed " Zoeken naar het afschuwwekkende Schone." de Architect (October 1995) pp. 16-25. Schmidt, Maurits. "Het ei en de muur als concept. " Het Parool (29 May 1996) p. 13.

Koekebakker, Olof. "Mecanoo's TU-b1bl1otheek als stadsla ndschap. " Items (May-June 1998) p. 20. Slavid, Ruth. "Dutch courage fuels ambit1on as Scots gather in Aberdeen ." The Architects' Journal (14 May 1998) pp. 20-21 . Futagawa, Yukio. "Mecanoo architekten. Library of the Delft University of Technology." GA Document (June 1998) pp . 90-103 . Vries, Tom de. " lntellectueel ruimteschip veilig geland." Architectuur & Bow1en (October 1998) pp. 34-39.

Dirks, Bart. "Een open luchtmuseum is meer dan nostalgie aileen." De Volkskran t ( 11 April 1998) p. 3T.

Belsky, Aaron . " Through the Roof." Architecture (October 1998) pp. 124- 133.

Project Credits

Rochussenstraat Rotterdam, 1991-1995 PARTICIPANTS Clients: 1. Woningbedrijf Rotterdam - coordinating client (offices, commercial spaces, apartments) 2. Stichting Sophia logee rhuis Ouders Rotterdam (Soph ia Ch ildren's Hospital boarding house) 3. Parkeerbedrijf Rotterdam (parking garage) 4 . Gemeentepolitie Rotterdam (extension of th e police stat ion) 5. Westpoint Beheer (4 luxury apartments)

Project architect: Henk Doll Assistant architect: Leen Kooman Project manager: Hu ib de Jong Project team.路 Marjolijn Adriaansche, Giuseppina Borrr, Birgit de Bruin, Ard Bu ijsen , Annemiek Diekman, Birgit JUrgenhake, Harry Kurzhals, Miranda Nieboer Models : Henk Bouwer

De Trust Theater Amsterdam, 1995-1996 PARTICIPANTS Client: Trusttheater, Amsterdam Structural engineer: ABT adviesbureau voor bouwtechniek, Delft I Velp Management consultant: J. van Rijs, Amsterdam Mechanical and technical engineer: Ketel Raadgevende lngenieu rs, Delft Building physics consultant.路 Peu tz & Associl?s. General contractor: Konst en Van Polen, Westwoud Mechanical installations: Technisch bureau Combi, Monnickendam Electrotechnical installations: Hoveling Elektrotechniek, Amsterdam ARCHITECT Project architects.路 Francine Houben, Chris de Weijer Assistant architect. M ichel Tombal Project manager: Francesco Veenstra Project team: Ursula Fritz, Gerrit Schilder Jr

Total floor area: 2,700 sq m

lsala College

Herdenkingsplein

Silvolde. 1990-1995

Maastricht, 1990- 1994

PARTICIPANTS Client.路 Katholieke Stichting voor Voortgezet Onderwijs regia Oude IJssel Structural engineer: ABT adviesbureau voor bouwtechniek, Delft I Velp Mechanical and electrical engineer: Ketel Raadgevend lngenieurs, Delft General contractor: Klaassen Bouwmaatschappij, Dinxperlo

PA RTICIPANTS Client housing: Stichting Pensioenfonds Rabobank, Utrecht Client square: Municipality Maastricht Structural engineer: ABT adviesbureau voor bouwtechniek, Delft I Velp General contractor: Bouwmaatschappij Keulen. Geleen

ARCHITECT

Project architects: Francine Houben, Chris de Weijer. Erick van Egeraat Project manager: Sjaak Janssen Project team: Birgit de Bruin, Enrico Cerasi, Annemiek Diekman, Maartje Lammers, William Richards, Paddy Tomesen. Bernhard Vester. Gert Wiebing, Toon de Wilde Models: Henk Bouwer Total floor area. 6,500 sq m

AR CHITECT Project architects: Erick van Egeraat, Francine Houben. Chris de Weijer Assistant architect: Natha lie de Vries Proj ect manager: Huib de long Project team路 Marjolijn Adriaansche, Sylvie Beugels, Henk Bouwer, Ard Buijsen, Kerstin Hahn, Birgit JOrgenhake, Thea Kupers, Toon de Wilde

Brouwersgracht A msterdam, 1995-1998

Public Library Almelo, 1991 - 1994 PARTICIPANTS Client: Stichting Openbare Bibliotheek Almelo Building management: Munici pa li ty Almelo Dienst Milieu en Stadsbeheer Structural engineer路 Adviesbureau de Bandt, RiJssen Mechanical and electrical engineer: Raadgevend ingenieursbureau Schreuder, Apeldoorn General Contractor: Goosen, Almelo Interior. Einkaufszentrale fOr offentliche Bibliotheken, Reutlingen Ahrend inrichten, Hengelo Van Gils projecten, Em men ARCHITECT Project architect: Henk Doll Assistant architect: Maartje Lammers Project manager: Aart Fransen Project team. Jan Bekkering. Joanna Cleary, Renske Groenewold!, Leen Kooman, Alexandre Lamboley, Anne-Marie van der Meer, Miranda Nieboer. William Richards, Toon de Wilde Models: Henk Bouwer

Total floor area. 4, 780 sq m

PARTICIPANTS Client: Woningbouwvereniging de Principaal v.o .f. Structural engineer: Strackee bouwadviesbureau., Ams terdam General contractor: Aannemersbedrijf J. Scheurer & Zn., Amsterdam ARCHITECT Proj ect architect: Francine Houben, Leen Kooman Project manager. Huib de long Project team: Douglas Ardern, Rene Bouman, Roelof Heida

To tal floor area. 848 sq m

Eco-Town A lmere, February 1996-May 1996 PARTICIPANTS Client: Municipality A Imere and BVR, Utrecht ARCHITECT Architect: Francine Houben Collaborators: Iemke Bakker, Katja van Dalen, Annemiek Punter

Groothandelsmarkt The Hague, 1988-1997 URBAN DESIGN Client.· Munici pality The Hague Des1gn: 1988- 1991 DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT Client: Muwi Vastgoed, Rotterdam Design .· 1993- 1994 Execution : 1995-1997 THE SHIPS New development- 323 dwellings in two buildings Clien t: Muwi Vastgoed, Rotterdam Won ingbedrijf Zuid-oost, The Hague Algemene Woningbouwvereniging, The Hag ue Design: 1993 Execu tion.· 1994- 1996 THE WAVES New developmen t - 305 houses Client: Muw i Vastgoed, Rotterdam SFB-Vas tgoed, Amsterdam Won ingbed rijf Zuid-oost, The Hague Design: 1993-1994 Execution: 1995- 1997 THE BEACON New development - 98 apa rtments in tower Client: Muwi Vas tgoed, Rotterdam SFB-Vastgoed, Amsterdam Design: 1993- 1994 Execution: 1994-1996 THE ANCHOR New development 59 apartments in tower Client Muwi Vas tgoed, Rotterdam SFB-Vastgoed, Amsterdam Design.· 1993- 1994 Execution. 1994-1996 MARKTWEG New deve lopment - 24 houses Client: Muwi Vastgoed, Rotterdam Design. 1993 Execution.· 1994-1995 VILJOENSCHOOL New school (1,964 sq m) Client. Muwi Vastgoed, Rotterdam I Mun icipa li ty The Hague Design.· 1995-1996 Execu tion.· 1996-1997

PARTICIPANTS Structural engineer: Adviesbureau van Eck, Rijswij k Civil engineer: Oranjewoud, Rotterdam General contractor: Muw i Bouw, Rotterdam ARCHITECT Project architects: Henk Doll, Francine Houben, Chris de Weijer, Erick van Egeraat Coordinating architect: Michel Tombal Assistant architects: Theo Kupers, Mo nica Adams, Harry Kurzhals, Eric de Leeuw Proje ct managers: Huib de Jong, Sjaak Janssen, Toon de Wi lde Project team. Marjolijn Adriaansche, Sylvie Beugels, Giu sepina Borri, Katja van Dalen, Annemieke Diekman, Enc Drieenhuizen, lneke Dubbeldam, M arijke Gantvoort, Dick van Gameren, Frank van Gameren, Hans van der Heijden, Bastiaan Jo ngerius, Tamara Kl assen, Paul-Martin Lied, Claudia Schmid t, Annemiek Seegers, Lars Spu ijbroek, Mechtild Stuhlmacher, Francesco Veens tra, Gert Wiebing Models: Henk Bouwer Total area: 10 hectares

City Hall Nieuwegei n, February-December 1997 PARTICIPANTS Client. Mun icipality Nieuwegein Management co nsu lta nt: PRC Bouwcen trum, Bodegrave n Structura l engineer: ABT adviesbureau voor bouwtechn iek, Delft I Velp Mechanical and electrical engineer: Ketel Raadgevende lngenieurs, Delft Building physics: Blesgraaf, bureau voor bouwen en milieu, Nieuwegein Cost estimating: Basalt Bouwadvies, Nieuwegein ARCHITECT Project architect. Henk Doll Assistant architect: Robert Alewijnse Project team : Paul Dijkstra, Tom Grootscholten, Alfa HOgelmann, Frank Huibers, Peter van der Schans

Total floor area: 14,076 sq m

Dutch Open-Air Museum

Library

Arnhem, 1995-2000

Delft University of Technology, 1992- 1997

PARTICIPANTS Client: Governmental Bu ilding Agency Dutch Open-Air Museum, Arnhem Structural engineer: Goudstikker de Vries I ACN, Zoetermeer Mechanical and electrical engineer: Technical Management. Amersfoort

PARTICIPANTS Client. lNG Vastgoed Ontw1kkeling, Den Haag, Structural engineer: ABT adviesbureau voor bouwtechniek, Delft I Velp Mechanical engineer: Ketel Raadgevende lngenieurs, Delft Electrical engineer: Deerns Raadgevende lngenieurs, Rijswijk Acoustic consultant: DHV A lB, Amersfoort I Peutz Associes, Molenhoek Environmental consultant: BOOM, Milieukundig Onderzoek en OntwerpBuro, Del ft Consultant grass roof: Oran jewoud, Rotterdam Consultant climatic facade: Peutz Associes, Molenhoek

ARCHITECT Project architects Francine Houben, Chns de Weijer Assistant architects: Michel Tombal, Thea Kupers Project manager: Aart Fransen Project team: Michel Dax, Pascal Tetteroo

Total floor area: 3,900 sq m

Faculty of Economics and Management Utrech t Un iversity, 1991-1995 PARTICIPANTS Client: Foundation Fi nancing Exploitation Accommodation U1thof, Utrecht Structural engineer: ABT adviesbureau voor bouwtechniek, Delft I Velp Management consultant: PRC Management Consultants. Bodegraven Mechanical and electrical engineer: Technical Management, Amersfoor t General contractor: Hollandse Beton Maatschapppij, Utrecht Artists: Gera van der Leun, Henk Metselaar, Linda Verkaai k ARCHITECT Project architects: Erick van Egeraat, Francine Houben, Chris de Weijer Collaborating architect: Henk Doll Assistant architect: Monica Adams Project manager: Aart Fransen Project team. Marjolijn Adriaansche, Carlo Bevers, Giuseppina Borri, Birgit de Bruin, Ard Buijsen, Kat)a van Dalen, Annem iek Diekman, Harry Kurzha ls, Miranda Nieboer, W illiam Richards, Mechtild Stuhlmacher, Nathalie de Vries, Wim van Zijl Models: Hen k Bouwer Site supervision: Gerrit Bras

Total floor area. 23,500 sq m

General contractor: Van Oorschot-Versloot Souw Boele van Eesteren V.O.F., Rotterdam Contractor facade: Scheldebouw Architectural Components, Middelburg Contractor mechanical installations: Van der Velde lnstallatietechniek, Uithoorn Contractor electro technical installations: GTI Rotterdam I Capelle, Capelle aan den Ussel Contractor elevators: Thyssen de Reus, Krimpen aan den IJssel Contractor cold and heat storage: Grondboorbedrijf Mos Rhoon ARCHITECT Pro;ect architects. Francine Houben, Chris de Weijer Collaborating architect: Erick van Egeraat Project manager: Aart Fransen Project team: Marjolijn Adriaansche, Carlo Bevers, Monica Adams, Jan Bekkering, Birgit de Bruin, Ard Buijsen, Katja van Dalen, Annemiek Diekman, lneke Dubbeldam, Alfa Hugelmann, Axel Koschany, Thea Kupers, Maartje Lammers, Pau l Martin Lied, Bas Streppel, Astrid van Vliet Site supervision: Gerrit Bras Models: Henk Bouwer

Total floor area: 15,000 sq m

Acknowledgments

87 Thos catalogut> has bt>en prepartod by the Coll(>9e of Archotecture + Urban Plannong to accompany The Refkxrrvc Atch1tect. an exhobotoon of the recent work of Mecanoo Specoalthanks are due to The Nt>therlands Archotecture Fund whoSt> generous support has made the exhobotoon possoble The Coll(>9e os grateful to the organozauons who have supported the pubhcatoon of thos catalogue oncluding the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studoes on the Fone Arts, thE' Consulate General of the Netherlands and The Netherland·Ameroca Foundation Assostance from the lnternatoonallnstotute of the Unoversoty of Mochogan woth events dSSO<oated woth the exhobotoon os greatly apprecoaled .

Edward Dimendberg receiVed h1s PhD m 1992 at the Umvers1ty of Cahforma, Santa Crul From 1990 to 1998 he was HumaM•es fd1tor m the UCLA off1ce of the UnM!rs1ry of Caldorma Pre!ss where he published books on art architecture. film, phtlosophy. and cultural stud•~ In 1994 he recetved a J Paul Getty Postdoctoral Fellowship m the H1srory of Art and rhe Humamr•es and a research granr from the Grc~ham FoundiJ/Ion A co-ed11or (wtrh Anron K.aes and Manm Jay) of The Weomar Repubhc Sourctobook. he 1s currenrfy complermg a book enttlied Ftlm Noor .md the Spac~ of Modernoty He has raughr ar SCI-Arc and UCLA and was recently appomted Ass1sranr Professor of Arch1tecrure. Germamc Limguages and Llrerarures, and F1/m and V1deo at rhe Un•vers•ry of MtChigim

Photography Credits

The conceptoon. desogn and prt>pardtoon of the exhobotoon and catalogue repreSt>nt a collilborattVe effort across none tomt> zones A number of ondovoduals have v.'Otked luel~sly to bung thos prOject to fruotoon The support of the dean. faculty and staH of the Co11(>9t> of Archotecture • Urban Pldnnong have bt>en onvafuabfe. Thanks are due to Henk Doll, Francone Houben, Chros de WeoJer, Anhur KleonJan. Ellt>n van de laar. Hanneke Hollander and Claudoa Ruotenberg at Mecanoo lor Jheor help on shapong the prOJect and theor patoence on dealing woth querit>s. to Chrostoan Rochters for <tlfowong the uSt> of hos lone pholographs; and to Edward Domendberg for hos thoughtful controbutoon Chrostoan Unverzagt. a graduate of the Unoversoty of Moe hogan archotecture program, has worked for many hours on four tome zones on the desogn and productoon of thos book (LAX J DlW I lGW I AMSI Hos wollongness to take on any task at any lome, hos crealovoly and hos senSt> of humor are greatly v.Jiut>d

0 Copynghr (hfiStliln RIChrers Pfl 16. 22. 241, 248, 26. 278, 33. 341, 351, 37, 39r, 39s. 41, 44, 45r, 458, 46, 47t. 47s. 48, 49. 50r, 501.. 51. 52.

54. 55r. 558, 56, 58r, 5&. 59, 64. 65. 67, 68, 69, 70r, 701, 71. 72-3 counesy Hen~ 0611 p 14 0 Copyrtghr Jannes LmdPn 27o Counesy Mecanoo 27M 0 Copynghr Frans PanhCSJus. Cht>nt Coty Almere I BVR p.31 0 Copyrtghr P1t>t Rook p 18 0 Copynghr Dilrtd Scilgliofil I Stqn Brakkec p.34e C Copynghr P1t>tt>r Vandermeer p 6 1, 62

In the sporot of the relfectove archolect. I he College would lol.e to acknowledge all who have played a part on the realozatoon of theSt> buoldongs and protects oncludong presenl and former members of the studoo of Mecanoo. cloents. consult<lnb and contractors Theor behel on the potenual of archotccture to om prove our physocal, ~oal and culoural envoronment provodes an ~sentoal underponnong to Mecanoo·s way of wor~ong

The Michigan Architecture Papers MAP 6 Mecanoo MAP 5 路 Tod Williams Billie Tsien MAP 4 Thompson and Rose Architects MAP 3 路 TEN Arquitectos MAP 2 路 Allies and Morrison MAP 1 路 RoTo Book

The John Dinkeloo Memorial Lectures Studio Granda Dreams and Other Realities Rafael Vinoly The Making of Public Space Richard Horden Light Architecture Patkau Architects Investigations into the Particular

The Raoul Wallenberg Lectures Richard Sennett The Spaces of Democracy Michael Sorkin Traffic in Democracy Vincent Scully The Architecture of Community Daniel Libeskind Traces of the Unborn

Edward D•mendberg

Me<anoo Published by The Un•vers•ty of M1Ch1gan College of Archlte<:ture + Urban Ptann.ng

Hid ing in FuII View

The Reflective Architect

Selected Projects 1994 - 1999 Rotterdam Roch ussenstraat De Trust Theater Atmere Eco-Town

Amsterdam

Public Library Herdenkingsplein Atmeto

Maastncht

Brouwersgracht Faculty of Economics and Management Amsterdam

UtrechtUmvers•ty

The Hague

Groothandelsmarkt lsala College N•euwege.n ( ity Ha II

sllvolde

Arnhem

Dutch Open-Air Museum Delft Untvers•ty of Te<hnology Library

ISBN 1-0891197-06-1