Atelier PRO wins tender Bastiaanpoort Delft

Atelier PRO has won de tender for the redevelopment of a project site at Bastiaanpoort in Delft. Commissioned by the Pension Fund for Metal and Technique, MN and Proactief Vastgoed chose Atelier PRO architects to redevelop the former V&D department store building. The existing block will be torn down to make room for new construction and a commercial plinth comprising three storeys for rental apartments.


Context

The Bastiaanpoort property is in the centre of Delft near the southern passageway or Zuidpoort area. Although it is completely surrounded by new buildings, it is still within parts of Delft’s historical canals. The property is situated on a prominent spot on route between the historical centre of Delft (from the Beestenmarkt) in the direction of the new shopping centre at the Zuidpoort area: the Bastiaansplein. It features the transformation between the different moods like old and new and between canal and shopping centre. It also exposes the change in size and functionality: from low small scale buildings in the city centre to stacked high rises (double storey shops and apartments above).


Homogenous block
How now do deal with the field of tension between contradictions in size, atmosphere, concept and character? Atelier PRO thought up of a mass homogenous building design considering scale, size,  proportion and movement in the façade. This all making the building recognisable as one voluminous mass with a clear main structure in the façade whereby different functions are entailed and detailed. Via a single architectural idiom, different rhythms are made visible depending on the type of housing and size in the surrounding urban zone.


Architectural vision
The Delft canal served as an inspirational source, a starting point for a number of game rules for a façade without being too literal. Important aspects are:
- Clear structure: plinthe, rise and frame
- Verticality
- Contrast between brick and whites, for instance by utilising other materials like stone or concrete.

These aspects led the architects to creating an abstract grid or relief that defines the building mass and makes it legible. Inspiration for the grid was based on the works by Dutch visual artist jan Schoonhoven. It forms the basic structure whereby elements like balconies, shop windows and signs, window frames, closed façades and service entrances each have their arena. Using examples of existing Schoonhoven-reliefs, the design of the grid abstracts the Delft canal embankments.

 
More information can be found on the Bastiaanpoort project site