Persistent Architecture

Abstract

Since the dawn of the early twentieth century, there has been a strong emphasis in the architectural discourse on defining an idea of how a building is intended to be used. This has resulted in a tendency in contemporary architectural practice of capturing the use of a building in a strictly defined programme. This programme is an illusion however: the ‘use’ of a building is not something which is definitive, but instead organic. In modern society, demands of users and owners constantly change. A building defined by its programme will lose its raison d’etre and in some cases ends up being demolished. This practice is not by any means sustainable, as it is a waste of resources and capital. Moreover, these continuous acts of building and demolishing also negatively impact the development of a consistent urban form: if architectural elements survive a few generations, they become more organic and picturesque. The architecture becomes embedded in the context and defines its identity.
The project questions the relation between the building and its use. The research investigates a series of buildings which have accommodated multiple functions throughout their existence. The findings of this research were implemented and tested in an architectural project in the Vierhavens-area in Rotterdam. The main objective of the project was to produce a building that can accommodate a range of uses: a framework which offers possibility for adjustments and which can be reinterpreted by its users. A structure changing over time, embedded in its context, lived instead of consumed. Sustainable by its longevity.
The project questions the relation between the building and its use. The research investigates a series of buildings which have accommodated multiple functions throughout their existence. The findings of this research were implemented and tested in an architectural project in the Vierhavens-area in Rotterdam. The main objective of the project was to produce a building that can accommodate a range of uses: a framework which offers possibility for adjustments and which can be reinterpreted by its users. A structure changing over time, embedded in its context, lived instead of consumed. Sustainable by its longevity.