"Kulturhus De Nieuwhof" by JDWA
27/05/2013.
By JDWA – Johan De Wachter Architects. [Westervoort] The Netherlands
metalocus, SERGIO CIDONCHA
metalocus, SERGIO CIDONCHA
Memory of project
Three seperate buildings transformed into one Kulturhus – the existing Nieuwhof was in a poor condition and a thorough 'update' was necessary, both in terms of technology and equipment as in terms of appearance, inside and out. Also, through years of gradual growth, the internal organization of the building was no longer optimal. The entrance, a "link" between the three components, lacked representativeness and appearance. "The building was built as a gymnasium, later a socio-cultural centre and a sports hall were added. The various buildings stood with their backs to each other. We re-united these parts and added a shared lobby." Says Johan De Wachter.
Kulturhus concept - Together with users the aspirations and values were formulated, that would form the basis of the new content and physical renewal of the Kulturhus. The users were involved in all phases and decisions of the design process. The Nieuwhof is for a wide audience. Both young and old, with or without disabilities, people from the neighbourhood and from across Westervoort are welcome here. Because of the pluriform nature of this organization the - originally Scandinavian - Kulturhus concept was chosen. All the different functions in the field of culture, sports, health care, information and advice, education, welfare and services come together in one place. All different users come together under one roof. All the users are jointly responsible for the management and organization of the Kulturhus.
Representative building - The transformation of Nieuwhof to "Kulturhus The Nieuwhof" was based on the qualities of the existing buildings. With a combination of "selective demolition" and intensive reuse the existing shell could remain almost intact and at the same time space was freed for a new intervention. The steel frame and roof were largely retained. On the South side there was space for expansion. The new floorplan of the Kulturhus simplifies the orientation within the building and makes clear connections between the different parts of the building, thus creating a logical unity. The inviting entrance & new lobby are representative for all users.
On the outside, the building gets a canopy and wraparound deck. Both the existing and the new facade are painted white so as to blur the individual components, making the building recognizable as a whole. Due to the modifications to the facade every user's space now has a beautiful outside area. The meeting area has been extended with a large sun terrace.
Text.- Johan De Wachter
CREDITS.-
Main architect.- Johan De Wachter.
Team collaborators.- Marieke van Hensbergen, Kim van den Hoven, Patricia Mata, Andrius Kalinauskas (design); Beheersmaatschappij Hegeman Nijverdal, ITN Installatietechniek b.v. (contractors); Vitruvius Consultancy, BreedID - Integrated Design, Buro Bouwkunde, K&R Consultants, Cauberg-Huygen Consulting Engineers (consultants).
Client.- Westervoort Municipality.
Date.- September 2012.
Project.- Combined new & renovation of existing community centre.
Budget.- 2.750.000 €.
Surface.- 2979 m² (built-up area).
Site.- Rivierweg 1, 6932 KA, Westervoort, The Netherlands.
De Wachter, Johan Jacob Maria born 1976 (Belgium). Civil Engineer Architect; Catholic University Louvain (KU Leuven), Departement of Architecture & Urban planning (2000). Membership: Stichting Bureau Architecten-register (architect registry).
After his studies at the University of Louvain in Belgium, Johan De Wachter moved to Rotterdam. From 2000 to 2004 he was employed by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture and worked on various urban development and architecture projects and competitions. In 2003 he founded the Fün Design Consultancy (Fündc) and was partner to 2005. In 2005 he founded Johan De Wachter Architects (JDWA). Currently he works on projects in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Portugal and China. JDWA is a design practice for architecture and complex urban development in the existing city. Designing with and for people in the neighborhoods is a very important aspect of our work. Generic concepts and standard typologies are never applied directly but change according to the project’s context. This approach results in an intense working process that demands a lot of communication and interaction between the client, future users and the design team. The real needs are often beyond written briefs and become apparent through discussions.