Rotterdam - Groot
IJsselmonde
In 1975 the building and the garden were
completed. In this environment Lucien den Arend used the Japanese Zen garden
tradition as his inspiration.
The surrounding spaces are offices, waiting room and restaurant. The open space was a space for viewing, and being visible from every
room around it. It was clearly
planned by Architect Bister as the focal point, as well as a source for daylight,
for the surrounding quarters.
The very first thing that came
to Lucien den Arend's mind was to use the round hole in the building to reveal the earth
beneath the building. He did so by showing the earth's crust disappearing under the edge of
the floor which Lucien den Arend extended into the space. To support this environmental theme
he added elements from our earth: natural stones, water and a human made element
- an artifact. Under the extension of the floor is tube lighting which
automatically switches on in darkness. This effect seems to lift the building up
and lights the surface of the concrete crust.
1973-75 -
earthscape - stainless steel, rocks, concrete and water, Police
Station Groot-IJsselmonde, Rotterdam NL
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