MSc 1/2 Design Studio

RESET/RESTORE | Amsterdam

The design studio Reset/Restore investigates new possibilities for a quintessential relic of post-war housing in the Netherlands: the Bijlmerflat Kleiburg.

Every large European city exhibits examples of large scale post-war housing estates. Many of these have been designed according to then-prevalent modern visions of the housing neighborhood of the future. Living, working, leisure and traffic were often radically separated. As a result, huge structures for dwelling and infrastructure are situated within large scale green areas or leisurescapes.

Now more then 50 years old, many of these estates suffer immense problems. Not only are the buildings technically defunct, also the needs of the inhabitants have changed drastically. Many projects are awaiting the wrecking ball. However, from the viewpoint of cultural history, society and even sustainability, demolition is problematic.

When housing corporation Rochdale announced it would demolish Kleiburg, several institutions protested strongly. It was argued that the building is an important part of the cityscape and that it is to be valued as a symbol of its underlying social ideals. On the other hand, it would cost Rochdale millions to reuse Kleiburg, money it could invest more safely somewhere else.

Reset/Restore sets out to develop new strategies that reach further than renovation of what is already there, or consolidation from a purely cultural vantage point. By making use of the existing building, new possibilities for this mastodon will be extensively explored.

SEMINARS

The seminars Architectural Studies (AR1Ad030) and Architectural Reflections (AR1Ad040) are strongly connected to the design studio. It is recommended to enroll these courses, which focus on the analysis of relevant projects and texts thus providing tools for the design work in the studio. The research in the seminars is linked to the research programme of the chair and its publication series Delft Architectural Studies on Housing (DASH).

COURSE INFORMATION

Coordinator MSc 1/2 is Pierijn van der Putt: p.s.vanderputt@tudelft.nl
Tutor and Studio Coordinator Reset/Restore is Olv Klijn: o.klijn@tudelft.nl
Seminars Coordinator is Pierijn van der Putt: p.s.vanderputt@tudelft.nl

Design Studio Reset/Restore - code AR1Ad011- 12 ects
Architectural Studies - code AR1Ad030 - 3 ects
Architectural Reflections - code AR1Ad040 - 3 ects