MFA Huis van de Heuvel
MFA Huis van de Heuvel
MFA Huis van de Heuvel
Balans tussen oud en nieuw
The location of MFA Huis van de Heuvel is interesting because of its urban and landscape context. The MFA is part of the post-war urban expansion 'de Heuvel' in Breda by architect Granpré Molière - Delft School. Here, in the clear orthogonal structure, the blocks of houses have slight angular twists, which give the neighborhood a village and spontaneous character. This organic structure merges into the central Brink, with extensive meadows and tall plane trees, as the district's green lung. The church plays an important role here, because the building forms the hinge between the green Brink and the central square. This position contributes strongly to the monumental quality of the church.
One ensemble
Together with the extension, the existing building complex forms one ensemble, where new and old enter into a dialogue with each other. The balance between the two is found in the mass construction and the use of materials. The existing rectory garden has been converted into a new winter garden in combination with a courtyard and serves as a connecting link between the buildings. The adjacent central spaces: the foyer in the church and the auditorium in the new building stimulate interaction between the different users through sight lines and views.
The existing buildings house an extensive socio-cultural center, a preschool and after-school care. The new building houses a Catholic and public primary school, a gym, a neighborhood manager, a home care station and a daycare center.
Atelier PRO designed a building that provides a contemporary commentary on the historicizing architecture of the Delft School and in which the use of materials and plastic play a powerful role. The interventions in the interior of the church are reversible: they have been carried out in such a way that the church can be returned to its original state. The outbuildings of the church, the sacristy and the rectory, with a small hall, are emphatically integrated into the design.
