2_5_DiscoverBenelux_Issue15_March2015_Q9_Scan Magazine 1 20/02/2015 15:09 Page 39
Discover Benelux | Special Theme | The Market of Construction
Cie. focused on creating an attractive public space in between the three buildings of the Dadong Arts Center offering a place for people to gather.
Puljiz is one of the partners at the Dutch architecture firm Cie. He enthusiastically recounts some of their most successful and characteristic projects. “We have many very experienced architects and we can work very efficiently. Each will add their own touches to a project, guaranteeing individual creativity. These qualities combined lead to unique results,” he says. Cie. has a very wide ranging portfolio that covers all types of structures both in the Netherlands and abroad, particularly in Croatia and China. Thanks to the company’s expertise, they have also won various international competitions.
One with the landscape One of these was the Hotel Sungarden in Dubrovnik on the Mediterranean coast in Croatia. Located at a UNESCO world heritage site, there were many limitations to the construction: it could not be too high to keep the view of the coastline intact, but each of the rooms in the high-end hotel had to have a sea view.
bition hall and a library – Cie. took the design to the next level by creating a unique space in between the structures. “We always look for added value and finding hidden opportunities. Here we transformed the area around the buildings into a comfortable public space,” Puljiz comments. Before finishing the design, Puljiz and a team of Cie. architects went to the location in Kaoshiung. They didn’t just experience the high temperatures and humidity, but also found there was very little public space in the city. “The half-open arcade features a membrane roof with funnel-shaped openings. It creates shade in the often scorching sun and provides shelter during the monsoon rains. The round openings also work as climatic devises, circulating fresh air,” he describes. “It’s actually the most visited space in the region. A lot of people gather here, even without visiting the arts centre itself, which is a great feature.”
Brickwork symphonies Puljiz says: “The building is split into two parts with the entrance in the middle. There is a top part of three floors with a wonderful roof terrace and there is the lower part which leans towards the sea. The latter is almost invisible when you enter – this makes the hotel look much smaller than it is and will give guests a more individual experience.”
Closer to home, in Amsterdam, Cie. designed two tower blocks collectively called the Amsterdam Symphony – one for office use and one for residential occupation. Located at the edge of the metropolitan business district the Zuidas, the two structures form an architectural bridge between the adjacent modern office blocks and nearby 19th century brickwork buildings in the characteristic Amsterdam School.
brickwork in a modern way. Apart from the bottom two floors which were hand-built, the structures are entirely constructed from pre-fabricated compartments but our design beautifully covers up the joints.”
Industrial heritage on display Showcasing the breadth of Cie’s portfolio – which covers interior design projects all the way to city masterplans – is the Café Open project in Amsterdam. The cafe was built on the foundations of a former swinging bridge, elevating it several metres above the water. “We wanted to retain the industrial character of the site and expose the old structure underneath. We kept the restaurant as simple as possible – it is basically just a glass box with windows as walls that can open on all sides,” he says. A special element of the design is the way these window panels open – they pivot up in a cascading motion. Puljiz adds: “It mimics the industrial movement of the bridge. In the summer they can be opened up completely, turning the restaurant into a beautiful terrace.” en.cie.nl
An arcade for the public Another international project was the Dadong Arts Center in Taiwan. Comprising three different elements – a theatre, exhi-
Puljiz explains: “It is the only building in the Zuidas that is built with bricks. The façade has intricate details, interpreting the use of
Issue 15 | March 2015 | 39