Nieuwe Instituut
Nieuwe Instituut

Sonneveld House

(Re-)using structuralism

A number of structuralist buildings have recently undergone major renovation to meet current requirements, or have lost their original function. Are these buildings indeed designed in such a way that new occupants - in another time and for another purpose - are able to appropriate them? Is successful reuse possible? During (Re-)Using Structuralism, Het Nieuwe Instituut assesses the subject with researchers, architects, occupants, owners and performers.

13 November 2014 20:00 - 22:00

Impressie door Sam Nemeth

Dutch structuralism is an architecture movement that, in contrast to the technocratic planning of the post-war reconstruction era, highlighted the poetic and emotional dimension of architecture. This 'story of another thought' proposed a dignified architecture that was open to interpretation by users. The structure set the rules of the game, while inside everything was free and flexible.

A number of structuralist buildings have recently undergone major renovation to meet current requirements, among them Vredenburg Music Centre in Utrecht (1973-1979) and Theater De Flint in Amersfoort (1974-1977). Moreover, some structuralist buildings have either lost their original function or have been vacated completely or partially. Examples include Centraal Beheer in Apeldoorn, the Orphanage in Amsterdam, and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Social Affairs in The Hague.

Are these buildings indeed designed in such a way that new occupants - in another time and for another purpose - are able to appropriate them? Is successful reuse possible? What aspects require particular attention? And which elements are essential in preserving the character of the buildings?

During (Re-)Using Structuralism, Het Nieuwe Instituut assesses the subject with researchers, architects, occupants, owners and performers. Visitors can immerse themselves in the ideas of the structuralists and test them in light of the current state of some of their buildings. Experts with experience offer their views and explain the complexity.

Programme

8 pm Performance by Failed Architecture: a confrontation between ideals and reality
8:15 pm Discussion: Are structuralist buildings suitable for reuse?
Introduction by Dirk van den Heuvel (Head of Jaap Bakema Study Centre)
Panel: Lara Voerman (SteenhuisMeurs), Rudy Stroink (Dutch Spring), Michiel van Iersel (Failed Architecture), Frans Benjamins (Architecten en en)
9:30 pm Spatial installation with live movement and music by Space in Motion

Guests

Lara Voerman (SteenhuisMeurs)
Lara Voerman specialises in twentieth-century urban design and landscape architecture at the office of SteenhuisMeurs. She recently worked on the value assessment of the P.C. Hoofthuis at the University of Amsterdam by structuralist architect Theo Bosch.

Rudy Stroink (Dutch Spring)
Rudy Stroink has been active for over 30 years in the field of property development, architecture, research and construction, and on more than one occasion in the past has advocated the reuse of the Centraal Beheer office building by Herman Hertzberger in Apeldoorn.

Michiel van Iersel (Failed Architecture)
As an urbanist and curator, Michiel van Iersel works at the intersection of art, architecture and heritage. Specially for this evening, he and the team at Failed Architecture analysed the Orphanage, the Tripolis complex and the Hubertus House by Aldo van Eyck.

Frans Benjamins (Architecten|en|en)
Architecten|en|en, in partnership with diederendirrix architecten, is responsible for the refurbishment of 't Karregat multipurpose centre, scheduled for completion in 2015. His office is restoring the open structure of the original design by Frank van Klingeren, which confronted occupants so directly with one another that 'disruption', and hence encounters, resulted.

Space in Motion
Space In Motion is an initiative of Sebastian Janusz and Stephanie Lama, both architects working in the fields of music and dance. They created "Environment 03"- spatial installation with live movement and music in collaboration with performer Tom Goldhand specially for Het Nieuwe Instituut. The performance is inspired by the theme of the evening.

Nieuwsbrief

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