Sanneke van Wijk - Master in Urbanism

Sanneke van Wijk New life How work and life strengthen each other in the Plaspoelpolder.

Briljantlaan 309 3523 CD Utrecht 06 4208 9558 sannekevanwijk@gmail.com nl.linkedin.com/in/sannekevanwijk/ Urban Designer at Must Urbanism

Urbanism

Sanneke van Wijk New life How work and life strengthen each other in the Plaspoelpolder

The number of vacant offices in the Netherlands is increasing dramatically. Much of the offices stay empty structurally. Even if the economy will pick back up, not all office buildings can be rented. The prospects for structural vacancy are not good. The labour force does not grow anymore and the influences of a new way of working are becoming more and more visible everyday.

One of the areas in the Netherlands that is overgrown with weeds and taped windows is the Plaspoelpolder in Rijswijk. This area, situated next to the A4 highway, has developed strongly since the 1950s. Today, the buildings look outdated and the site loses competition with better profiled highway locations. Mainly because it does not have a clear profile. Furthermore, the high vacancy rate further decreases the image of the area. The result: even more companies decide to move away from Rijswijk. The Plaspoelpolder is stuck in a vicious circle that must be interrupted.

The existing structure of the Plaspoelpolder offers qualities that can be used to make living possible.

Building dwellings in the Plaspoelpolder could be an alternative for the housing plans of the municipality of Rijswijk. Do not start from scratch in a polder, but reuse the existing structure of this industrial area, enabling Rijswijk to make use of the city in a sustainable way. The Plaspoelpolder offers sufficient space for living. Still, at the moment this space is mostly captured by buildings.

The mixed nature of the Plaspoelpolder can be strengthened by retaining the strong businesses and supplementing them with dwellings that fit in terms of scale and size. New life will come to the Plaspoelpolder and create synergy between new residents and existing businesses.

My graduation plan includes a transformation strategy in which the Plaspoelpolder transforms from a work location to a mix of living and working. The framework builds on the qualities of the site and its surroundings. A clear hierarchy returns, the ‘green’ connection between the two parks is strengthened and the park – located at the southern part of the A4 – is extended to the Plaspoelpolder. At last, the link is made between the fine structure of the pre-war Rijswijk and the coarse scale of the neighborhoods that were built after the war.

Developments can take place within the framework. The mixed character and diversity in the type of businesses require a multi-faceted approach. International companies such as Shell, the European Patent Office and the Beurs Haaglanden are encouraged to add public value to their monofunctional functions. In the heart, where many offices are situated, the buildings are redesignated or redeveloped and aim for an optimal mix of dwellings and offices. There, searching for combinations of homes and offices within every block is important.

The inner world is characterized by the many dynamic companies that are located there. Individuals or collectives will be able to buy a lot themselves and do with it whatever they want. Think of starting a new business or just living there freely. The goal is to find a form of collectivity in the public space where residents can benefit from the small businesses and vice versa.

Graduation date 02 05 2013

Commission members Boris Hocks (mentor) Jaap van den Bout Marco Broekman

Additional members for the examination Huub Juurlink Karen van Vliet

Sanneke van Wijk

Urbanism 15.000

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Complement the successful companies with dwellings.

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Connecting the coarse and fine scale of Rijswijk.

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Urbanism

Sectional view of the existing situation of the heart redesignation existing building

solid

redesignation

collective building

redesignation

redevelopment

meeting area with workstations

residential and office building

Sectional view of the new situation of the heart

public space work and live in a joint space

shared space meeting area

The hart: an optimal mix of dwellings and offices.

new connection a small bridge connects both sides

restaurant

Sanneke van Wijk

-1 In operation

0 Vacant

1A Tempory use of the property

1B Demolition of the building and temporary use of the lot

3A Redesignation of the property

3B Demolition and construction of a building

The inner world: a place for new initiatives where residents share their public space with small companies.

Master of Architecture / Urbanism / Landscape Architecture Amsterdam Academy of Architecture

Architects, urban designers and landscape architects learn the profession at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture through an intensive combination of work and study. They work in small, partly interdisciplinary groups and are supervised by a select group of practising fel­low professionals. There is a wide range of options within the programme so that students can put together their own trajectory and specialisation. With the inclusion of the course in Urbanism in 1957 and Landscape Architecture in 1972, the academy is the only architecture school in the Netherlands to bring together the three spatial design disciplines.

Some 350 guest tutors are involved in teaching every year. Each of them is a practising designer or a specific expert in his or her particular subject. The three heads of department also have design practices of their own in addition to their work for the Academy. This structure yields an enormous dynamism and energy and ensures that the courses remain closely linked to the current state of the discipline.

The courses consist of projects, exercises and lectures. First-year and second-year students also engage in morphological studies. Students work on their own or in small groups. The design projects form the backbone of the cur­riculum.

On the basis of a specific design assignment, students develop knowledge, insight and skills.

The exercises are focused on training in those skills that are essential for recognising and solving design problems, such as analytical techniques, knowledge of the repertoire, the use of materials, text analysis, and writing. Many of the exercises are linked to the design projects.

The morphological studies concentrate on the making of spatial objects, with the emphasis on creative process and implementation. Students experiment with materials and media forms and gain experience in converting an idea into a creation.

During the periods between the terms there are workshops, study trips in the Netherlands and abroad, and other activities. This is also the preferred moment for international exchange projects. The academy regularly invites foreign students for the workshops and recruits wellknown designers from the Netherlands and further afield as tutors.

Graduates from the Academy of Architecture are entitled to the following titles: Master of Architecture (MArch), Master of Urbanism (MUrb), or Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA). The Master’s