a shelter for cafe/restaurant/meetings made of local materials.
image: public domain
image: public domain
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A shelter where artists and other people can meet, have a drink and eat, on a perfect spot with a grand view on Amsterdam.
The idea was to make the whole building with artists and craftsmen from the wharf. Of course the concrete floor had to be made by an professional undertaker with big machines but the other parts were created by local artists and craftsman. Some had there workshop for years under the former launching platforms for the ships, others were new in the "broedplaats", the art-city. Some were experienced, others did it the first time. Some materials were never used like that before and had to be checked by us and the city-council (specialy fire-proof). It is a very social happening when you build with so many people, everybody did a little part of it. And then there were everybody's personal pros and cons...
It looks “industrial” and “temporary” but is made with bare materials like concrete, sandbags, wood, transparent plastic, clay and straw.
Lots of rain and wind and soft ground:
Of course in Holland it often rains but we found out that the building was situated on a spot were the storm wind would be the most fierce in Holland: on a corner of the Noordzee-canal with the open space of the canal in the direction of the most common winds, specially by stormy weather. A year after completion the first severe storm hit the building and did a lot of damage. But was luckily restored afterwards.
The soil we build on was 18 meters of sludge so a foundation with the traditional poles in Holland would be very expensive. We solved this by making a “floating” building.
