2_2_DiscoverBenelux_11_November_2014_Q9_Scan Magazine 1 06/11/2014 23:06 Page 41
Discover Benelux | Special Theme | Dutch Architecture & Interiors
grated in the frame of the roof, will gradually light up. At present, this concept is unique in the world.”
ABOVE: The Dutch ambassador’s residence in Beijing – the floor-to-ceiling windows create openness, while a granite wall at the front guarantees privacy. MAIN PHOTO AND BELOW RIGHT: The United World Campus concept design for an energy neutral school.
How these roots still resonate in the present is easy to see. For the Dutch ambassador’s residence in Beijing, delivered just ahead of the 2008 Olympics, there was a special focus on materials and functionality within the setting. “On the site there were these magnificent trees,” recalls Postel. “To make this part of the design, we created an open structure with large windows all around the building. A tall granite wall at the front of the property guarantees absolute privacy, but you feel part of the terrain.” The building is split into two adjacent wings, the private, intimate living quarters of the ambassador and the public Dutch embassy building, each looking out over a different part of the garden.
parent roof that reflects natural light inward. “Visitors will notice when a cloud drifts past so they really experience the surroundings while being inside. When it starts to get dark, at night or in the winter, small LED lights that are invisibly inte-
Kraaijvanger has a drive for including fresh ideas from young architects, especially regarding sustainability. Next year it will move into a new office, right in the heard of Rotterdam. As part of this, Postel and his fellow partners will launch weekly open workshops on Fridays. The sessions, free of charge, will start off on 9 January 2015. Postel concludes, “Anyone can come and join us and ask questions about architecture and experts from within the field will answer them – how great is that?” www.kraaijvanger.nl
Innovation and functionality Also closer to home, Kraaijvanger uses innovative techniques to bring their projects to life. When finished, the new Voorlinden Museum in Wassenaar will house the country’s largest private art collection against the beautiful backdrop of the Dutch dunes. The pioneering design was perfected down to the smallest detail and incorporates the setting in an advanced way. Postel says, “It’s going to be one of the most sophisticated museums anywhere in the world. We’ve made sure that everything redundant will be invisible or integrated into the building. Take for example those disturbing fire exit signs; we’ll make them from matted white glass so they don’t distract. When you do need them – in case of a fire – green lights will switch on so they become visible.” Postel began working on the design in 2010 and the construction of the lower floor has just started. When the building is completed in 2016, it will have a trans-
ABOVE: The final look of the new, sophisticated Voorlinden Museum in Wassenaar.
Issue 11 | November 2014 | 41