‘CREA cultural centre’ by joost glissenaar, amsterdam, the netherlands image © jannes linders

dutch architect joost glissenaar with architecten van mourik has recently completed the ‘CREA cultural centre’ as part of the university of amsterdam’s campus, in a complex of old industrial buildings. the new building will hold workshops and classes in drama, dance, music, expressive arts, film/ video, photography, literature and new media, and presents around 100 works and performances per year. additional spaces include the cafe, theater and music halls.

the existing warehouses were not able to be retrofitted into large column-free spaces, as per programmatical requirements. the western wing was therefore demolished and rebuilt with new construction, maintaining the facade intact as it is the icon that stood for many years. a new semi-transparent ‘interior’ wall, or infill volume, bridges the parallel structures providing the primary vertical circulation in a contrastingly contemporary environment which keeps the industrial feel with exposed duct work, concrete and steel surfaces. the aged brickwork was left in tact, with the addition of steel frames to comply with building code and vibrant color to update the interior.

joost glissenaar: CREA cultural center new infill structureimage © jannes linders

joost glissenaar: CREA cultural center vertical circulation in new structureimage © jannes linders

joost glissenaar: CREA cultural center contemporary industrial feelimage © jannes linders

joost glissenaar: CREA cultural center connection to original buildingimage © jannes linders

joost glissenaar: CREA cultural center entrance to the old structureimage © jannes linders

joost glissenaar: CREA cultural center contrasts of new and old throughoutimage © jannes linders

joost glissenaar: CREA cultural center ‘cafe in original wallsimage © jannes linders

joost glissenaar: CREA cultural center entryimage © jannes linders

joost glissenaar: CREA cultural center aerial viewimage © jannes linders

joost glissenaar: CREA cultural center floor plan / level 0

joost glissenaar: CREA cultural center floor plan / level 1

joost glissenaar: CREA cultural center floor plan / level 2

joost glissenaar: CREA cultural center floor plan / level 3

joost glissenaar: CREA cultural center floor plan / level 4

joost glissenaar: CREA cultural center roof plan

joost glissenaar: CREA cultural center formal diagram

project info:

technical architect: bureau bouwkunde, rotterdam design courtyard: inside outside, amsterdam contractor: bk bouw, bussum contractor installation: burgers ergon, amsterdam contractor furniture: luiten interieurbouw, wateringen project management: royal haskoning, hoofddorp adviser construction: pieters bouw techniek, utrecht adviser building physics: peutz, mook adviser installation: he adviseurs, rotterdam surface area: 5660 m2 preliminary design: november 2008 finished: february 2012 budget: € 9.000.000, excl.vat