Erasmus Huis Showcases Sustainable Architecture, Past, Present and Future

Jakarta Globe, Katrin Figge, December 16, 2012

Floating houses are one of the ingenious projects highlighted at the
‘Architecture  of Consequence’ exhibition, currently showing at Erasmus Huis.
(JG Photo/Katrin Figge)

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With rapid urbanization happening all around the world, architects are facing more challenges than ever before: to find solutions on how to make good use of limited free space and come up with viable solutions to make living in a crammed environment worthwhile, while also taking into account things like water management and environmentally friendly construction.

But architects from the Netherlands Architecture Institute have created a new engagement and approach to their field. Through its program called “Architecture of Consequence,” the NAI has continuously shown that architecture is an integral part to solving the colossal tasks people are dealing with around the globe.

Erasmus Huis is showcasing projects of the NAI in a new exhibition.

“By juxtaposing work of the past and the present, the exhibition aims to demonstrate the ongoing commitment of Dutch architects and planners in [different] fields,” an introduction to the exhibit reads. “The exhibition serves as a catalogue of ideas intended to seize opportunities and contribute to shaping a more sustainable future.”

By highlighting different projects of the NAI, visitors see how Dutch architects and urban planners have taken on many different challenges since 1840.

One intriguing project shown at the exhibition falls under the section of mass housing. During the 1950s and ’60s, an enormous housing shortage resulted in the erection of many cheap high-rise buildings. Not much thought went into aesthetics and beauty, as the focus was purely on speedy construction, and many criticized the “unimaginative and dull concrete blocks.”

One such example was the neighborhood of Ommoord in Rotterdam, which proved to be a thorn in the public’s side.

“It was not only regarded as desolate and somber, but over time it became troubled by social issues such as crime and low general welfare,” reads the caption under images of the gloomy buildings. “In the 1990s, the majority of the flats were in poor condition and no longer measured up to current standards. Reviving them was deemed useless.”

But despite the perception of the public, the tenants of Ommoord enjoyed living in the area. And so they decided to come together and fight for a better image of their neighborhood. Their efforts created a close-knit community that was able to rescue the flats from demolition.

An architecture office then committed to a project that saw the altering of four flats in 1999 to improve the image of Ommoord: two of them underwent adjustments to be fit for the elderly, while the other two were renovated and refurbished to be put on the market for rent and sale.

Through this renovation, it became clear that “the main challenge for architecture is not in production, but in maintenance, renovation and reuse.”

Another project that has seen a lot of media coverage takes visitors to the city of IJburg, located close to Amsterdam.

This floating city came into being when city planners realized that Amsterdam was growing rapidly, and there was a dire need for housing.

But with almost every inch of land already occupied, a more innovative approach was required.

IJburg is an entire district that has been built on a series of man-made islands on Lake IJ, featuring a central transport link to Amsterdam’s city center. It is a neighborhood of floating homes, designed for the tenants to have an uninterrupted view of the water. The first residents moved into their houses in 2001.

The houses are constructed from a concrete base that sits half a storey below the water level. During the summer, residents can literally jump into the lake from their doorstep for a refreshing swim, while in winter time they can strap on a pair of ice skates and glide along the frozen lake.

To keep the houses from rocking, they are anchored at opposite points to the front and back. To guarantee the stability of the houses in the water, the furniture must be arranged in a way that they keep the balance.

The exhibition also showcases projects of the future that have not been realized yet, such as the model called Park Supermarket. This project is based on the cultivation and harvesting of food in the parks of big Dutch cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The plan is for shoppers to pick fresh fruit and vegetables directly from the plots where they have been grown.

Architecture of Consequence

Through Dec. 28

Erasmus Huis

Jl. Rasuna Said Kav. S3

Kuningan, South Jakarta

Tel. 021 524 1069