nomads in residence
house No. 19
In the context of the arts program "Beyond Utrecht", the municipality of Utrecht invited several "artists in residence" to live and work for a certain period in the new residential district of Leidsche Rijn. Their main task was to observe this place, at the time undergoing rapid change, and to develop interventions and responses to it. Their accommodation, a mobile studio, is also part of the art programme and would see multiple changes of residents and location during the planned activities.
Our main ambition was to design a movable building that would feel as large and robust as a house. It had to be versatile, practical and comfortable throughout the year.
| location: | various sites in Utrecht/Leidsche Rijn |
| design: | 2003 |
| realisation: | 2003 |
| client: | Stichting Beyond, BikvanderPol |
| structural engineer: | Pieters Bouwtechniek, Jaap Dijks |
| contractor: | Jasper Kerkhhofs and Christian Dörschug with Rien Korteknie, Christian Kahl, Liesbeth Bik and Jos van der Pol |
| collaboration - design development: | BikvanderPol |
| photography: | Christian Kahl |
The house consists of one rather long space that can be divided into different indoor and outdoor spaces.
Walls, floors and roofs are constructed of cross-laminated solid wood panels (CLT), stabilised in two spots by steel frames. The object therefore is stable enough to be lifted and transported in one piece. Its dimensions allow the building to be transported on public roads. The wooden panels are fitted with an insulation layer on the outside and laminated wooden boards as outer skin.
1 bedroom
2 shower
3 toilet
4 kitchen
5 living room
6 terrace
With the opening valves it responds to its "location-free" object in its changing environment.
Because the building must be able to adapt to different locations, we designed it as a "black box" that can respond to its surroundings in a variety of ways. The building can be closed completely. Three skylights allow for sufficient daylight even when the shutters are closed. When the large shutters are opened, the introvert house gets a completely different character. Large parts of the facades change into terraces and stages. The wooden interior becomes part of its surroundings, and the artists present themselves and their work to the city.
Even a movable, temporary building should offer comfort and protection: the qualities of a robust house.
