Former American Embassy Renovation
Connections
In an urban scale, the goal was to create connections between the new and the existing building by Marcel Breuer. The existing building consist of two horizontal masses that are significantly different in density and proportion compared to the elevation of its surrounding building. The aim of the renovation project was for the building to visually fit within context by dividing the existing horizontal facades into smaller blocks. This intervention makes the building more approachable and less intimidating, which meets initial design starting points such as making the building public and more accessible, increasing the flow of people, and creating a more dynamic and lively environment.
Transitions
While a new program and spatial flow is proposed, an extension is required, which will deal with an architectural transition between the existing and the new. Users are meant to experience a transition between Breuer design into a modern interpretation of it. This transition is also applied in its materiality which changes from reinforced concrete (existing) to glulam timber construction (new).
Current building:
Program
Lange Voorhout block consists of leasable studios and workshop spaces for starting artists, classrooms for short-term art courses, and retail spaces for artists to sell their products. Korte Voorhout mass is an art museum, which would consist of temporary exhibitions such as local and visiting artist’s works, and permanent exhibitions, such as Dutch architecture and urbanism art and an exhibition about sustainable design and performance.
Structure
The structural goal was to explore a wide understanding of construction economics and engineering, based on anticipating structural challenges that responds to interventions made to the existing structure. The applied sustainable solutions includes passive design strategies such as rainwater harvesting, double skin façades, and water-based cooling and heating systems integrated on floor and ceilings.