Structuralism represents an architecture that can interact, grow and adapt. The buildings can be recognised by their vivid open structures, composition of small units, and a spatial organisation like a city. As a reaction to CIAM functionalism, the avant-garde members of Team 10 proposed inclusive and social space and a more human form of urbanism and architecture. Starting in 1959, Dutch Structuralism became a very influential movement in the development of architecture in The Netherlands. Now the Structuralist legacy has become heritage. Once the agent of a new era, the pioneering nature of this architecture seems to have faded and it is this building stock that is now in need of renewal. Although some of the Structuralist buildings have become icons, their existence is at stake. Many buildings are facing transformation or demolition, because they do not meet contemporary demands. Despite the design of open structures, being flexible for the future by extrapolation of the structure or adaptation within the building, many of the Structuralist buildings show shortcomings in for example; indoor climate, aesthetic appearance and programmatic possibilities. Recently, the renovation of Aldo van Eyck’s orphanage in Amsterdam has been completed, which once was the inspirational example for many of his contemporaries. Other icons of Structuralism still await a new future, like the Centraal Beheer office in Apeldoorn and the Ministry of Social Affairs in The Hague designed by Herman Hertzberger. Although several buildings have been renovated, there are no standard solutions. We believe that profound knowledge about both the original Structuralist buildings and the argumentation for redesign can help to prepare intervention strategies for upcoming projects. What building characteristics prove to be successful? Are these specific for one building, the oeuvre of one architect or widespread among this generation of buildings? Do renovation concepts reuse or contradict initial design themes? How can necessary renovations do justice to the cultural and architectural values of these icons? Do the icons prove what is promised? Or do we need alternative strategies? This exhibition ‘The Future of Structuralism’ shows our search for what Structuralism is and our assessment of some of its opportunities and shortcomings. But most importantly, it focusses on potential strategies for reuse. The structure of the exhibition is thematic. By focusing on several themes that were important in Structuralism, we aim to link ideology, current examples from practice of transformed Structuralist buildings and design strategies. Through the exhibition and a debate at the opening event, we hope to bring the work from within the chair to a wider audience and add new perspectives to the debate on the movement and its future values. @en

Santos is a warehouse from the beginning of the 20th century, that has been vacant for most of its existence. Located on Katendrecht, it is placed right in the middle of a future high-density plan for 'de Pols', which focuses on attracting urban creators. By turning Santos into a creative office, the thesis builds upon these plans from the municipality, and attempts to once again turn Santos into a building that houses activity, instead of vacancy. The main design challenge concerns maintaining the industrial spirit of place, and the important clue that Santos provides towards Katendrecht's harbour history, all while creating the pleasant working conditions that an office requires (daylight being the most prominent one).

With the relocation of the industry in Rotterdam from the city centre to the sea, the old harbour area became empty. One of the buildings in this area is Santos, an old coffee warehouse that is located in Katendrecht. Due to the developments in this area, there is a need for a redevelopment for Santos as well. The shape of the waterfront is inspired by my research of different reference projects with old harbour waterfronts. One of the outcomes is the layering in heights and the routing along the water. In this way, Santos becomes part of the waterfront landscape. Another important aspect that enlarges this connection is the public stair to the rooftop, which makes that the roof becomes part of the public landscape. These main interventions will give Santos more attention then it will get in the existing future plan. The attention that it deserves, because it shows the history of the neighbourhood, while most of these references are destroyed already.

The former cotton warehouse of the Katoenveem, which is located at the end of a pier within the Rotterdam harbor area, is a listed architecture monument for the cotton industry in the early 20th century. However, the building is no longer in use and decaying in the strong winds and rains now.
There is a clear disconnection of time and space for the building, for the reason that both its original function (cotton storage) and context (industrial complex) have gone. This has resulted in its isolation on the site. Hence there comes the question of how to reclaim its usefulness for the citizens and then relate it to the urban life without threatening its major historical value. Apparently there will be conflicts between its old and new roles for the city, original industrial function and public function in the future, old structure and new structure, etc. My goal for the design is to find a balance point for these conflicts and hopefully increase the total value of the building for the area and its users.

St. Elisabeth complex is located at the edge of Nieuwstad. The site includes valuable heritages such as Berkelpoort, city wall and tower from the 14th century. However St. Elisabeth building has separated these monuments from the public since 1993, and these cultural assets are not being properly maintained.

Is cultural property justified by means of private use?
Heritages are a national asset. Everyone has the right to learn history through heritage. Therefore, when the circumstances allow it, heritage must be shared in public. The historical elements in this complex can provide great future opportunities to Nieuwstad. In this project, I suggest a ‘Heritage garden’ as a cultural hub of the Nieuwstad.

Due to the departure of heavy industry towards the west, many industrial waterfront buildings have lost their function within the harbour area of Rotterdam. One of these buildings is the Katoenveem.

The building in question is a storage and transshipment facility designed specifically for cotton. It is a longitudinal building which stretches along the end of a Rotterdam pier, where a hundred years worth of rough harbour climate and neglect have turned it into its current derelict state.

The design challenge is to redevelop the Katoenveem, giving it a new function and making it part of society once more. My design turns the once empty warehouse into a new cultural hub of Rotterdam whilst still maintaining its identity as a industrial heritage site.

Design for adaptive reuse of the Maassilo in Rotterdam within the graduation studio of Heritage and Architecture. This design focusses on creating physical and social connections with an integrated sustainable design.

You can work with your building’s surroundings, characteristics and features by repressing them, hiding from them, celebrating them, juxtaposing them, making fun of them, uplifting them, supporting them, replacing them, improving them, or even changing them. But to make a decision you have to look beyond your building’s subjective beauty or uglyness and it’s immediate site, you have to analyze it’s history, everyting that surrounds it and the building consists off to make the right judgement.

There are many factors that come into play regarding an architectural, cultural and technological research/analysis, but I think it may be important to understand (as you are coming up with solutions to your architectural design) what the perception is by yourself, the public and the municipality of what is currently on and in your building site (or what once was there). You should however not be limited by this with regard to the site and building awaiting your design and the design process, but I do think you will formulate a better design concept if you understand the different and sometimes intangible dimensions to the site where you will build and/or intervene. I used this as a springboard during the graduation studio to think outside of the box by still being true to our own design style, but still solve all the challenges, opportunities and needs this place, the building and the surroundings bring.

The research is very important for many reasons. And key among those is that it presents you with many clues and provides arguments which together add up to help you determine what design opportunities and challenges you can solve, leverage and build upon.
The relationship between research and design for me is quite clear; a good research gives you a peek into the underlying “personality” of where you will build/design — and that may just spark and/or justify your own best innovative design solution and approach.

In this particular studio we had the option of redeveloping one of five different industrial buildings.
I chose to redevelop the Katoenveem building.
The Katoenveem immediately for me was a fascinating building and site. This large oblong building maybe seems boring and ready for demolition for the untrained eye, but the eyes only see what the mind is prepared to comprehend.

The still standing structure, designed by J.J. Kanters, was built along one of the quays of the, at that moment, brand new and busy Vierhavens industrial and harbor area. In only two years; 1919-1920 the building was constructed together with several structures which together made the Katoenveem Complex (see fig. 2). The main building, the one still standing, was built for the storage and transshipment of cotton. In Rotterdam this was the first warehouse that was especially designed for storing and distributing cotton. Katoenveem and the complex functioned for the cotton industry for over 43 years untill 1964 when the company quitted due to the rapid development of synthetic fabrics. After 1964 the building still functioned as a warebouse but not exclusively for cottonbales. Later Atelier van Lieshout had it’s offices here and even later an appartment was made on the roof.

Revitalising the warehouse Santos in Rotterdam with a new function. Adding a mixed use of a public grand café and creative offices gives the building a new purpose.

Today, the re-introduction of industrial heritage into the contemporary city, requires a parallel design process that equally involves thorough value assessments and addressing current social necessities. Looking at historic ports, the way this approach can consciously establish a long term impact for the city has been tested in cases such as the Hafencity in Hamburg and the port of Marseille, and still remains an intriguing question for a lot of European harbor areas.

In such settings of a previously unconditional functional context, the act of re-programming is catalyst and can guide the new architectural language. As a major example of such a post-industrial context, the Maassilo in Rotterdam Zuid provides a protagonist scenario of how to deal with social diversity by re-establishing historical identity.

Caught at the edge of a major infrastructural border between two disparate entities: the future gentrified area of Katendrecht and the inert, working class neighborhoods of Tarwewijk and Bloemhof, the Maassilo carries an inescapable mediating role between north and south.On the other hand its extreme physicality, and the possibilities provided by the load bearing capacity of the silos, create a guiding force on their own.

Addressing the historic aspect of the Maassilo as a a major instrument in the context of transshipment, the programme proposes the relocation of the existing central office for the Rhine & inland navigation (CBRB) inside the building.Taking advantage of the conceiled central part of silos, this also involves the ‘curving-out’ of conference rooms and auditoriums, for meetings with the rest of the European board members and commissions

Operating as a ‘transshippment society’, the project aims to investigate how such an official European network of
gathering and knowledge, can commemorate the building’s historical importance for Rotterdam while also assuming a
public character towards the surrounding districts.

Everybody knows concrete.... the building material that ones meant the future. Imagine it’s most extreme forms. I’m thinking of Sovjet concrete sculptures! Brutalist Architecture! And then think about what it would take to break parts of these adement concrete structures down. That is what this project is all about.
Welcome to ‘A Concrete Excavation’.

In the course of industrial advancements, new production processes in the nineteenth and twentieth century demanded new types of buildings; starting from the 1960s those industrial objects became outdated and are currently known as industrial heritage. Industrial sites that were originally located on the outskirts of (port) cities were suddenly ‘misplaced’ as the city grew around them. Though separated from their original context, some industrial objects have escaped demolition and the need to redesign these buildings continues to increase. The city of Rotterdam is an example of such a port city that drastically changed during the 20th century. In this context I want to talk about the Maassilo building situated in the old harboar area on the south side of the city

The Maassilo in Rotterdam is an ensemble of industrial buildings dating back to 1910, all specifically designed for one goal: store, process and tranship grain. 'A Concrete Excavation' proposes a total transformation based on the unique character of contrast and contradiction found in the layout of this industrial object. It Embraces the flexible and dynamic top floor and ground floor to bring industry back in to the city. While the silos are seen as a spatial opportunity to cut, break and carve-out and create meaningful and spaces for a unique experience in the bathhouse.

Zutphen, one of the oldest city in the Netherlands that started as a Germanic settlement, then a trading city and now a medium-sized city is currently dealing with vacancy, dejuvenation and an aging population . Vacancy, though not as high as other cities in the Netherlands, affects neighbourhoods next to the old city centre. The city centre ‘has it all’ meanwhile the neighbourhoods act as access roads to it. Densification of the city centre can be expected . The main focus of the heritage studio is the neighbourhood Nieuwstad where opportunities lie to improve its current connection to the old city centre and the urban situation with an architectural intervention.This graduation project is about the Baudartius complex which is currently a high school. Due to the growth of students and lack of space, they plan to move out which will result in a vacant building. The assignment for this project is to fill in another function and introducing own interventions.

Report accompanied the Kyoto Heritage & Machyia Exhibition regarding a reflection on students work (MSc2 studio) and research at the Kyoto Insitute of Technology in the Kyoto Design Lab. 2015-2016 by Zijlstra, Spoormans and Hein.@en