BUNDLE
CHEPOS
The built environment magazine
Editorial Selection
INDEX CONTEMPLATIVE CARTOONS BY LEON KRIER
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DAYLIGHT IN ARCHITECTURE
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SKETCHES BY ZVI HECKER
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ANTARCTIC ARCHITECTURE
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CASTLE VIANDEN
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VONDEL VRIJSTRAAT
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A battle for affordable living space
Due to the unexpected circumstances of 2020, it was not possible for the Chepos Committee to proceed their work as normal. The committee already started with planning the last edition of the Chepos magazine of this year when the quarantine set in. A new magazine was not an option anymore as there would be no possibility to deliver it in person. However, an online alternative would offer opportunities to experiment with a novel way of presenting the articles. And that is exactly what we did. The coming period, three online Chepos Bundles will be released of which this is the first one. Each bundle will have a common theme that links the texts and their corresponding lay-outs: Editorial Selection, Pandemic and Temporary Architecture. As many of the articles were already planned, this first Chepos Bundle covers the editorial selection of a few of the most promising articles. They range from the fascinating history of a famous street in Amsterdam all the way to building in the icy climates of the Antarctic. The bundle will give you a tour through the in-depth analysis of daylight in architecture, the time-line of the geometrical sketches by Israeli architect Zvi Hecker and the fascinating history of Castle Vianden in Luxembourg. Have a good read! Karim Jaspers Editor-in-Chief
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Lay-Out: Karim Jaspers 5
Daylight in Architecture 6
Many renowned architects have stated that light has a prominent role in how we experience space and that therefore light should be a controlling factor in design. It is light that enables our vision in the first place. And with vision, architecture comes into play. Since the perception of shapes, volumes, textures and colours are all based upon our vision, architecture and light are inseparable. To be able to realise the desired architectural expression after construction, light should, therefore, be a leading factor from the start on. This is something so fundamental; one might not realize this while designing. Text: Teun van Warmerdam, Lay-out: Quirine Heijnen Careful integration of daylight, more than just making openings in a building to let light in, can enhance a space in a fundamental way. It is hard to achieve such an enhancement with interior lighting or with for example composition of shapes and materials. It can be challenging to grasp why daylight can enhance spaces so fundamentally. A core aspect of daylight is its dynamic behaviour, which is quite a unique feature since almost everything else in the built environment is static. Light coming into a building changes over the day in direction and elevation but also changes in colour and intensity by clouds or seasonal characteristics. Daylight also connects us to the world outside the buildings we enter. Electrical interior lighting can only try to mimic these characteristics of natural daylight. With enough effort in an integral electrical lighting design, one might come close. Unfortunately, in practice electrical lighting is often mixed and matched by the
In some designs, architects and engineers went the extra mile to incorporate daylight into their design. A modest, low budget but renowned brilliant design is the church of light by Tadao Ando. The concrete box features two narrow openings in one facade; one vertical and one horizontal extruding a cross, allowing sunlight to penetrate the façade through this opening only. Simple, but effective for its function and creating a spirit-uplifting experience for its users. The inspiration comes directly from Ando’s life-determining visit to Rome; the light beam coming through the roof of the Pantheon made Tadao realise he wanted to pursue a career in Architecture. The daylight design in the Pantheon has a clear design analogue with the light beaming through the cross-shaped openings in the Church of Light. On the other end of the spectrum is the Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi, currently under construction, but set to open in 2021. The incorporation of daylight in this design is not modest like Ando’s approach, but extensive and high-tech instead. The building, designed by Foster and Partners, features huge curved vertical wings that accumulate heat from sunlight, high above the roof of the building. The high temperature at the top of the shields initiates air flow from the ground upwards, pulling used air out of the museum. A system of tunnels is connected to the museum, through which air is taken from places further away, cooled down in the underground tunnels and naturally sucked into the museum by the initiated airflow. But next to this functional role, the shields initiate a play of daylight in
A core aspect of daylight is its dynamic behaviour contractor in a late stadium and with the sole purpose of meeting the requirements of applicable codes. While light is so fundamental, it is not all there is to find in architecture. If you imagine a space without light, the remaining aspects that are not dependent on light come to surface. The acoustics of the room will become more important and can tell a lot about the volumes present and the materials used. So does texture, sense of temperature and maybe even smell. Next to the sensible features, the organization of spaces in a building is still highly relevant with no light present. It is evident that there are design parameters that are not light-dependant, unlike the aesthetics of a building, which are completely vision- and therefore light-based. Next to aesthetic perks, careful integration of daylight in building design has physiological advantages. The importance of daylight is deeply rooted in our biology. We need light to reset our circadian rhythm every day, to make sure our sleep-wake cycle remains synced to the day-night cycle. Daylight also directly influences our mood, morale, energy level and other well-being related factors. The positive physiological aspects of having a view outside are remarkable; people living or working on higher floors call in sick less often than people living or working on lower floors, where views are obstructed and the daylight inlet is reduced. But this does not yet explain why and how the play of daylight, darkness and texture in constructions and compositions can touch us.
the museum itself, giving the daylight a unique aesthetic role as well. The wings are bent over the museum building itself like a shield against possible rain, since the roof of the museum contains open voids in all kinds of geometric shapes. The daylight hitting the shields is bent downwards, away from their initial and sensible path. The largest part of the light hits the volumes in the roof, while a smaller part squeaks through the voids. The way the natural light is experienced in the interior of the museum is reminiscent of light beaming through clouds or through the trees in a misty forest. This time, however, in geometric shapes. Bending the sunlight with the shields also amplifies the changes in the dynamic daylight scenes over the day, which normally would already occur by the sun rising from the east and setting in the west. At the Zayed National Museum, architecture and sunlight are integrated into a building-size art installation, while also initiating natural ventilation. Daylight can have an unmatched role in the combination of biological, physiological, aesthetic and functional aspects, making daylight an important and decisive design parameter in architecture. Careful integration of daylight in a design can give a certain joy and pleasure to users that is hard to achieve with other architectural design parameters, but the reason for this is a bit mysterious. Le Corbusier captured the important role of light in architecture in a concise but beautiful way: “Architecture is the learned game, correct and magnificent, of forms assembled in the light.”
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Images 1. Alley with light (source: pxhere.com) Sources: 1. Foster and Partners. 2020. Zayed National Museum. Fosterandpartners.com. 2. Edwards, L. and Torcellini, P. 2002. A Literature Review of the Effects of Natural Light on Building Occupants. Nrel.gov. 3. Schielke, T. 2019. When Sunlight Meets Tadao Ando’s Concrete. Archdaily.com.
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Sketches by Zvi Hecker
1972 - Ramot Polin The story of architects is often told through their existing designs. Their legacy consists of physical objects and non-physical ideas. The theoretical approach is often written down in books, essays or papers. The reputation is summarized in results, not so much in the progress itself. Buildings and books show finished products and concepts. Drawings and sketches on the other hand show the approach and thoughts behind the grand ideas. During the trajectory of drawings, it is possible to analyse concepts and recognize obsessions or patterns that architects have had (unconsciously) over time. The same happens in the case of Israeli architect Zvi Hecker. Text & Lay-Out: Karim Jaspers Zvi Hecker spent his youth in Kraków, Poland, and moved to Israel in 1950 where he finished his studies in architecture. Besides that, he studied painting in Tel Aviv, forming a start to his unique artist-architecture profession. In 1991 he established a studio in Berlin and received numerous prizes for his unparalleled work. The strength and critique of many projects was caused by his artistic attitude in combination with his profession as an architect. The buildings can be seen as pieces of art, but should not be seen only as such. They are physical manifestations of his thoughts and ideas about not only art, but also architecture and society. This article will highlight a few of his most promising designs through the sketches he made. 8
1981 - Beit HaSpirala Ramot Polin The first two sketches are of Ramot Polin, a post-war neighbourhood built in Israel that is fully based on dodecahedrons. The images show hills made of smaller units. Each of them is part of a dwelling and form one whole. The project was part of an avant-garde style of architecture that rejected the then popular modernist style of straight angles, repetition and large surfaces. Although the intention was great, the future residents were less fond of this invention. The apartments proved
The sketches show an industrialized fantasy, a geometric optimism to be inefficient and impractical for the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community that ended up living there. In the years to come they would construct illegal additions that would negate the geometric idealism of Hecker. It seems a one-of-a-kind building, a failed project that is not reproduced elsewhere, but Hecker’s impact should not be underestimated. Art historian Zvi Efrat saw the paradoxical effect of his shapes. The polyhedrons fit very well in the climate and topography
due to the shading of crevices and clever use of natural light. Yet, it also reveals a particular ‘enchantment with pseudo-scientific methodology and hyper-industrial production’ due to the prefabricated use of unusual patterns. The sketches show a likewise industrialized fantasy, a geometric optimism. Beit HaSpirala A decade later, Hecker would design a completely different building. Ramot Polin showed a repetition of the same elements and nothing more. Beit Haspirala, realised in Ramat Gan, is based on a similar type of geometric underlying structure. This time a sixteenpointed star is extruded out of the ground. The floorplans are divided according to this mathematical form, yet there is more. Smaller geometries are added, such as a simple square and a hollow core. Together, the three elements are placed in a rectangular surrounding. Where Ramot Polin was still a fantasy on a clean canvas, Beit HaSpirala is already embedded in its context. Hecker’s fascination in shapes had shifted from mere geometric figures towards spirals and movement. Beit HaSpirala is based on the stacking of different stairs around a central core. He got his inspiration from the sunflower, a mathematically interesting object and the embodiment of the golden ratio - the sunflower seeds are positioned in a logarithmic spiral. The unconventional form and the unfinished appearance
1992 - Heinz-Galinski-Schule of the building caused a lot of critique in the rich neighbourhood. People saw the sixteen-pointed star as a stain in the eye. According to one anecdote, the neighbourhood was attacked by a missile strike. When the government came to assess the damage it did, one engineer reported that the Beit HaSpirala - which was still completely intact - had been ‘broken beyond repair’.
Although the school is very impractical, it is a source of inspiration for children Heinz-Galinski-Schule Hecker’s ideas about art and architecture would gradually transform over time. The Heinz-GalinskiSchule in Berlin shows another transition. The shapes and patterns are becoming more complicated. From dodecahedrons and a sixteen-pointed star, he arrived at a superposition of rectangular and logarithmic grids. The shape resembles that of a sunflower, but is abstracted greatly. The main idea remains the same: structural leaves create small pathways, which lead to a central square. Although the school is very impractical, it is a source of inspiration for children. All the small
2018 - Koningin Máximekazerne
corners, crevices, green roofs and passages form a large, playful entity. Koningin Máximakazerna One of his most recent projects, twenty years past the Heinz-Galinski-Schule, is built in The Netherlands, near Schiphol. The future user is none other than the Dutch Royal Military Police. In collaboration with the construction company Arup, Hecker designed a complex of 40.000 m² with offices, meeting rooms, training facilities. All of that in his characteristic geometric style. Fitting to the client, the sketches show a more strict and orderly pattern with bold and rough lines. There is no room for funny features or unnecessary details, however, the overall image does show the memorable characteristics of Hecker. Even Ramot Polin, a project almost fifty years ago, is still clearly visible in the planning of the different building blocks. The sketches of Zvi Hecker highlight what architecture can be. His quick pencil strokes show creative
opportunities instead of rational limitations and demand the viewer to think out of the box - to imagine their own reality. Over the years of experience, his profession has always been a combination of architect and artist. Hecker keeps trying to innovate the field, think about the endless possibilities and realise his dreams. He forms a big inspiration for all kinds of architects, artists and other people, and his style is definitely unique in each of his buildings. By merely looking at his sketches it is already possible to get a glimpse of the uncommon mind of Zvi Hecker.
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Images: 1. Ramot Polin sketch (source: Archdaily.com) 2. Ramot Polin masterplan (source: Archdaily.com 3. Beit HaSpirala concept plan (Hiddenarchitecture. net) 4. Beit HaSpirala floorplan (source: Archdaily.com) 5. Heinz-Galinski Schule concept sketch (source: Archdaily.com) 6. Heinz-Galinski Schule floorplan (source: Archdaily.com) 7. Koningin Máximakazerne isometry (source: Zvihecker.com 8. Koningin Máximakazerne perspective (source: Zvihecker.com)
Sources: 1. Bouwregister. “Koningin Máximakazerne”. 2013. Bouwregister.nl 2. Arup. “Koningin opent nieuwe kazerne van KMar Schiphol”. 2013. Arup.com 3. Galerie Nordenhake. “Zvi Hecker”. n.d.. Nordenhake.com 4. Hili Perlson. “A Life in Architecture”. 2014. Frieze.com 5. Antonio Amado Lorenzo. “Architecture and Déjà Vus”. 2019. Researchgate.net
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ANTARCTIC AR The Antarctic area is perhaps the least populated area on the planet. The inhospitality for human settlement is related to its rigid temperatures, harsh winds and terrain, which requires a special type of architecture designed to withstand these extremes. In this article we take a look into the history of this architecture; looking at buildings designed both recently as well as over one hundred years ago. Text: Jasper Poel, Lay-out: Tessa van Amelsvoort Since the first recorded landing on the Antarctic mainland in 1894, this region has fascinated humans with its landscape, wildlife and wilderness. Furthermore, this giant ice continent drives the climate and ocean circulation of the entire planet. Because of this important feature, scientists have come to explore this region and conduct experiments since the early days. For that purpose, the earliest structures were built for the use of great explorers. These early structures were nothing more than timber huts with basic insulation Examples of such can be found at Cape Adare. Since the turn of the next century, these huts were replaced by rectangular cabins, with pyramidal roofs supported by a central post. These cabins consisted of two sections: one for living, one for research. Over the following years these pyramid-like tents underwent some changes. For example the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen made profound improvements such as sewing in a floor, and most importantly dying the tent black. The black color was a simple, but effective change since it absorbed more solar radiation which was scarce. Moreover, the contrast with the landscape made it more recognizable when lost and finally it provided a rest for the human eye. Up until 1950, the researchers all worked in either a single tent or a cluster of tents. After 1950 however,
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these researches occupied larger bases. One of the first of these larger bases was founded in 1952 and still exists today. Build for the Argentines, this base has a total of seventy buildings and could provide shelter for an average of 110 people during winter. After Argentina, three of the largest research nationalities which have a base on the arctic land, are the United States, Great Britain and New-Zealand. The first British research station, Halley I, was sadly unsuccessful. It consisted of a simple timber hut, which was regularly buried by snow, making it impossible to access without access shafts. In the end, the creeping ice and snow destroyed the structure of the building. The first American base however, was a success since it is still present and used to this day. This base consisted of more than 85 buildings, and had several three-story structures. The most important first base was made by the country of New-Zealand. Hillary’s (TAE/IGY) Hut can be found to this day as well, and involved several important aspects which found their origin in the past, and can be found in the Antarctic Architecture of today: cold porches, prefabricated constructions, rich colors and warm interiors. During the 1970’s, not the size of the bases, but the type of buildings changed drastically. During this decade, British research stations consisted of partly buried buildings. This resulted from the main reason causing the destruction of Halley I. Halley III and IV consisted of box-like accommodations, which were accessible by tunnels, ladders and shafts. These structures were built of either timber or of steel sheets. This, however, did not prevent the fact that here again the ice had broken down the structure. Another noteworthy underground structure is Bucky’s Dome. This geodesic dome was fifty meters wide and sixteen meters high and was composed of steel archways.
RCHITECTURE This structure however only lasted for 28 years, since the structure was dismantled in 2003 as a result of the overstressing of the base ring beams. The next change in architecture was the exact opposite of burying parts of building underground as researchers started working in buildings which were on elevated platforms. The compartments were first built of timberclad structures, mounted on simple steel platforms. An example of this is Halley V, which was used until 2012. This structure consisted of twenty elevated legs, which serve the function of keeping the drifting snow from damaging the compartments as had been the case in all previous British research stations.
One of the other most important inhospitable characteristics of this continent is the extremely cold temperature During the 2000’s, these elevated buildings have been used as well. They do however, have some profound improvements in comparison to the earliest elevated buildings. These improvements are the key reason for most of these buildings still being used today. These improvements are related to minimizing snow drift, the resistance of high wind loads and to the futuristic aesthetic. The resistance of the wind loads has been achieved by the use of aerodynamic forms of the buildings. Minimizing snow drift has been improved first by the elevation. The problem however with this elevation is that the buildings must continuously be
elevated due to the rising snow levels by the snow drifts. Therefore, sophisticated hydraulic lifting systems are used to jack up the buildings. One of the other most important inhospitable characteristics of this continent is the extremely cold temperature. Improvements related to this have to do with the materialization as nowadays better insulation and better sealed cladding systems are used. Examples of these improved, elevated buildings are the Concordia Station at Dome C and the New South Pole station. The architecture after 2010 had another improvement related to the early elevated structures: sustainability improvement. These improvements have to do with the transportation and relocation of the buildings and utilization of renewable energy. Besides these sustainable improvements, the well-being of the scientists has been improved as well. This has been done by improving the indoor air temperature and the sizes and designs of the rooms for both private and public use. These last improvements have been put to use, for example in the British research station Halley VI, which was built in 2013. Halley VI research station was the first completed building that is able to relocate. The building consists of eight compartments, which can be detached from each other when necessary. These are built on a ski-fitted, hydraulic legs. These legs allow the building to be relocated when necessary. The eight modules are all located in a linear form, of which the red module - or the ‘red heart’ - is the most important. This red heart is important for the well-being of the researchers as it consists of a two-story area with a bar, library and other communal areas. The blue modules, north of the red heart, each have an
area of 150 square meters and are used as living and sleeping compartments, while the blue modules to the south are used for research. These compartments are all generated by self-powered energy. This energy has been produced by six generators by the burning of gas, several kilometers away. Because of this, the energy use must be kept at a minimum. This has been done by a smart energy plan as well as by an almost completely closed waste cycle. Besides the ski-based hydraulic system, the building has another important unique characteristic: its materialization. It uses translucent nano-aerogel panels, which is the most thermally efficient material known to this day. This material improves the insulation, which results in a better energy efficiency and a stronger defense against the harsh temperatures. Over the past hundred years, the Antarctic architecture has changed significantly, unlike the climate on the continent itself. This unchanging climate with harsh temperatures and strong winds has challenged architects and engineers to design buildings which can withstand this continent. This ultimately lead to the build of elevated compartments of which the British station Halley VI is maybe the most interesting example. This research station may be a precursor of future buildings on this planet due to the changing climate, or can even be the first draft for buildings on other, more extreme planets far away.
Images: 1. Halley 6 (Illustration: Tessa van Amelsvoort). 1
Sources: 1. AECOM. 2020. Halley VI Research Station. Aecom.com 2. De Architect. 2013. Research center Halley VI on Antarctica. Dearchitect.nl 3. British Antarctic Survey. 2020. Halley VI Research Station. Bas.ac.uk 4. Architecture Now. 2020. A history of architecture in Antarctica. Architecturenow.co.nz
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Castle Vianden The Luxembourgish castle of Vianden stands as a proud and impressive monument of an even more impressive history. Buildings of this size are not built very often and its imposing figure is not only due to consolidation of power or just to simply show off, as some structures built by leaders in more recent history. It is a building that developed over ages and became the way it is now because of the castle’s residents carefully designing a network of structures. Castle Vianden tells the story of how one family could create a country and enforce power trough smart building planning. Text: Aron den Otter & Stefan Aalbersberg, Lay-out: Aron den Otter The impressive structure had her humble beginnings as a roman castella (450 AD) with the function of guarding the trade routes of the Trier area. For this function a simple tower and a wall around it proved to be sufficient. A fire however destroyed this small complex and the function of defence was lost. The stone tower survived and the next 500 years the building functioned as an administrative centre, while castles in the neighbourhood guaranteed the protection of the area of Luxembourg. Things changed for this structure when the family of Hamm took interest in the fortification. They were Vogtei, helpers, of the Prüm Abbey and responsible for the affairs that monks were not permitted to carry out such as administering justice, collecting debts and providing military protection. Since the Vogtei were the only ones to carry out these tasks, it was relatively easy to misuse this position and gain a lot of power and money. Quite some ambitions raised, and the ‘humble’ family saw in castle Vianden the possibility to build an impressive residence that
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would be a good fit for their ‘submissive’ occupation and a centre for all their administrative tasks. The transformation included reinforcing the walls, the construction of a large square keep that serves as a residential tower and the construction of a small chapel to highlight their religious occupation. Apart from controlling only a small route, the castella of Vianden now also had a governing and controlling function. The family of Hamm started calling themselves the lords of Vianden and for the next three hundred years, until 1350, they would be the caretakers of the structure and expand the structure into a monumental, prestigious seat.
For the next three hundred years, the lords of Hamm would expand the structure into a monumental, prestigious seat After the lords of Hamm started to occupy the watchtower around the year 1000, they expanded it to a fortress surrounded by a stone wall while adding a hall and a chapel. In the following century, the lords of Hamm started building a network of sixteen castles, of which their castle (Vianden) became the most important one, functioning only as administrative castle in the beginning. The same accounts for the ones in Dasburg, St. Vith and Bütgenbach. Every castle had some villages assigned to it, to provide agriculture and common rights to forestry, grazing and hunting. These so-called stewards were responsible for collecting taxes
in the form of money or goods from the peasants in the villages. In return, the peasants were allowed to use the ground owned by the lords. It is like ground lease (Dutch: erfpacht) we still see in the Netherlands today, for example in Amsterdam. Besides this, military protection was an important incentive to pay taxes, in contradiction with the present where defence is only a minor part of the government expenses.
This restoration emphasized the power of the counts of Vianden while competing with the House of Luxembourg The reason that the lords of Hamm became the centre point of this network was probably because they possessed more money and for that reason they could build a stronger army. Besides the administrative castles, which were all positioned along the river Our to be easily accessible, there was a branch line of five castles (Salm, Klerf, Neuerburg, Hamm, Schönecken) for protection and to mark the boundaries of the territory of Vianden. A third group of seven vassal castles and Offenhäuser (Schleiden, Neuenstein, Dudeldorf, Brandenburg, Fels, Sterpenich and Schengen) was marking a wider ring around Vianden. Because of the distance and the hills in between, the power Vianden had over these castles was reduced (unfortunately, cars did not exist at that time), but they were open to the lords of Hamm when needed due to contractual agreements. The lords of these castles were
not allowed to make their castle available to enemies of the House of Vianden. To facilitate a system like this, proper buildings were needed in Vianden. These expensive additions were possible because the other castles contributed financially to Vianden. At the end of the eleventh century, the family decided to reside in the castle as well. For these two reasons, the castle was equipped with a palas (auditorium), a chapel and a bergfried (keep). Under count Frederick I (till 1150) the Roman chapel was replaced by a new decagonal one. The old castle tower was replaced by a new residential tower and around 1200 a new, second palas was built.
What once was the impressive seat of an impressive family became a mysterious shell with its history forgotten In this period the castle became more of a luxurious residence rather than having only a defending purpose. Around the same time a tower and a decorated entrance gate were added which emphasized the importance of the castle. In 1250 the castle was renovated thoroughly in Gothic style while additional housing and two towers were added. This restoration emphasized the power of the counts of Vianden while competing with important empires, especially the House of Luxembourg. Nothing lasts forever and neither did the rule of the Hamm family. Around 1417 the castle of Vianden
became property of the family of Nassau through marriage and the absence of male Hamm heredities. The family of Nassau did not take much interest in the castle as they were an already well-established family with fancy residences all over what is now the Benelux and parts of Germany. With this change of seats, the power of the castle diminished. The castle, now in the middle of Nassau territory, lost its status as the centre of power. All the medieval buildings in the inner courtyard were replaced by structures that fitted the new function of the building as agricultural centre and the great halls were used as storage. For the supervisors of this agricultural estate two new building blocks were added to accommodate the supervisors with more comfort by creating smaller, warm rooms with large windows that let in lots of daylight, opposed to the medieval building method. While the power of the Vianden castle was declining, the influence of the family of Nassau on European history was increasing tremendously. They were often busy with their political fights against
In the modern context, the castle of Vianden is again an important centre of Luxembourg, like it used to be during the middle Ages the Spanish to obtain Dutch independency, and as a result the castle was often taken over by the French and Spanish. The building fell into decay, but this was most certainly not the worst chapter of the castle’s rich history. The Nassau family sold the castle in 1820 to a
member of the parliament that demounted the castle’s roof, fireplaces and doorways and sold it together with the furnishings to people all over the area, transforming the castle into an empty shell. What used to be the impressive seat of an impressive family for a long time became a mysterious shell with its history forgotten. Even when totally stripped, the ruins of the castle still had an attracting power and became a beloved tourist site during the romantic era. After having mainly a touristic function till around 1895, the state of Luxembourg decided to rebuild the castle into its original state. Before completion at November 19th, 1994, German soldiers attacked the castle of Vianden. In this period, the castle of Vianden was one of the most important observation posts of Luxembourg. After heavy fights, a few German soldiers achieved to enter the castle, whereafter there was a battle for every part of it. During these battles the German suffered losses and in the end, retreated. In 1978, the non-profit heritage association Les Amis Du Château de Vianden, initiated the restoration of the castle with the help of EU-subsidies. In 1992 the restoration was finished and the castle regained its touristic function. Besides this function, the castle is also used for business conferences and even concerts. In the modern context, the castle of Vianden is again an important centre point of Luxembourg, like it used to be during the Middle Ages. Images: 1. Contours castle Vianden (source: Aron den Otter) 2-7. Edit of building phases castle Vianden (source: castle-vianden.lu, edit: Aron den Otter)
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Sources: 1. Les Amis du Château de Vianden becomes member of Europa Nostra (europanostra. org, 2015) 2. De dappere strijd om kasteel Vianden (battlefieldtours.nu, 2018) 3. Castles as instruments of hegemonial space, construction and representation, Bernhard Kreutz (Spaces and Identities in Border Regions, 2015)
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Vondel Vrijstaat
A battle for affordable living space It might seem very unrealistic, but the chique and fancy shopping streets of Amsterdam where once the silent witnesses of a conflict of a scale never seen in the Netherlands after the second world war. Anarchists and other free-thinking people decided to take matters in own hands and solve the housing crises of that age all by themselves. Text: Aron den Otter & Stefan Aalbersberg, Lay-out: Aron The cause of the riots in Amsterdam on April 30th in 1980 were plans for urban renewal. In the sixties there was discussion about whether Amsterdam should stay a city to live in or become an economic entity. The last option seemed to fit best with the upscaling of the city. The urban renewal became urgent in 1970, when the traditional approach of the city as a production centre would lead to the replacement of residents to surrounding cities. In the old neighbourhoods this idea led to protests; the residents did not want to move. These protests delayed the verdict but in 1978 the municipality chose, under the pressure of the residents, for the ‘city as hometown’ approach. The new vision focused on the ‘compact city’ where empty spots would be filled up. In this period the housing need in Amsterdam was very high, even though the population of Amsterdam was shrinking. This is partly explained by the lower average household size compared to previous years. A second reason is that because of the urban renewal huge housing complexes where cleared, while a new place to live was not arranged for these people yet. Especially young people in need for housing settled themselves in the empty buildings. This squatting movement developed itself into a strong, independent network. This was possible since the High Court decided in 1971 that squatting buildings was not illegal anymore and an attempt to roll back that law in 1973 was blocked by protests. These events combined made it possible for the squatters to create this strong
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network, against the wishes of the municipality. The housing shortage, combined with high unemployment amongst young people, high taxes and the curtailment of acquired freedoms (for example the right to demonstrate) resulted in a lot of dissatisfaction with the municipal policies. Even though there where a lot of societal problems, the lack of affordable housing seemed to be the strongest incentive for the fights in 1980. The discontent was strengthened by speculators who bought big houses in Amsterdam and let them stay vacant, hoping for value increases. These were the buildings the squatters focused on. They thought it was unbelievable that the municipality let this happen; this many young people without the possibility to inhabit a dwelling while at the same time large houses were vacant, just for profits. The proposal of the squatters was to mix working and residing to create attractive living spaces and stimulate small scale companies, so the city again became a place where everyone was able to live. When the inauguration of Queen Beatrix was planned in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam at 30 April 1980, the dissatisfaction reached its limits. ‘’It is a provocation to get the best housed Dutch women to the worst housed city in the Netherlands’’ according to one of the squatters. What follows, is history.
In the sixties there was the discussion about whether Amsterdam should stay a city to live in or become an economic entity It is Friday afternoon, February 26th 1980. Squatters confiscate the elegant and spacious corner building that marks the crossing of the Constantijn Huygensstraat and the Vondelstraat. This action was carefully planned
out, as a previous attempt to squat the building failed. The squatting went with quite some violence as twenty-five people are heavily injured due to the unpleasant rain of street stones and Molotov cocktails thrown by the squatters. This was, however, a small incident compared to those that would follow. The inhabitants of Amsterdam woke up next morning to a very weird image; the roads around the building were blocked with barricades consisting of street furniture, street stones and rolled over cars. The public reaction on this never before seen event was quite unusual: the Amsterdam inhabitants were actually agreeing with the statements made by the squatters and went by the new free state to make a quick chat with the squatters to discuss and criticize the passive attitude of the local government on the housing crisis. Self-made soup was handed out and the squatters pirated the radio network to broadcast their own anarchistic news radio. The barricades grew bigger and bigger and the
The people of Amsterdam woke up to a very peculiar image: Their roads where blocked with giant barricades of flipped over cars city council did not know how to act in this mini state within Amsterdam. The situation was getting quite out of hand, faith in the counsel decreased with any hour passing and the public transport was seriously compromised. They started negotiating with the squatters, but as their decisions are taken in a basicdemocratic way they went very slowly; every squatter had to agree. Things were escalating further, and the local government decided to intervene in an aggressive way; backed with the national army they forced
themselves into the Vondelvrijstaat. This was something that was carefully thought about as the use of violence was the last option to end it quickly. The mini state was invaded with military tanks, supported by snipers and a mixed army of soldier and police officers ended the whole event quickly. To minimize the damage to their public image, the city council decided on only removing the barricades and thus allowing public life to go on. The building itself was left with the squatters still in it. The whole debacle ended with the city council agreeing to the demands of the squatters and in the end, they even bought the building to house troubled adolescents. The squatters took a different message from that action than the government intended and believed that protesting in an aggressive way was the way to archive your goals; it led to even greater protests in the upcoming years. In the end, the squatters had their influence on the housing policies during the seventies in Amsterdam. Instead of demolishing lots of dwellings, the focus was more on affordable housing and adding value to neighbourhoods. The proposal of the squatters, to mix working and residing to create attractive living spaces and stimulate small scale companies in an urban context looks almost the same as the current policies in bigger cities. For that reason, the message of April 30th 1980 is still relevant today.
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Images: 1. Troonswisseling 30 april , rellen tijdens Troonswisselin stenengooier op het Rokin tegenover de Mobiele Eenheid (photo: Dijk, Hans van / Anefo) 2. Barricaden rond kraakpand in Vondelstraat Amsterdam; overzichten gebarricadeerde straten. (photo: Bogaerts, Rob / Anefo) 3. Barricaden rond kraakpand in Vondelstraat Amsterdam; krakers rond het gekraakte pand. (photo: Bogaerts, Rob / Anefo)
Sources: 1. 1968 De kraakbeweging. canonsociaalwerk.eu. 2. De geschiedenis van Amsterdam. Muncipality of Amsterdam. amsterdam.nl. 3. ‘Dit is niet normaal, dit is een oorlog’. George Marlet. 2013. Trouw. 4. Democratie en geweld. Probleemanalyse naar aanleiding van de gebeurtenissen in Amsterdam op 30 april 1980. Wetenschappelijke raad voor het regeringsbeleid. 1980. wrr.nl. 5. Tanks tegen de woningnood. Eric Duivenvoorden. 2020. Groene Amsterdammer. groene.nl.
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