New building in the Tweede Wetering Plantsoen
The plan for the new building in the Tweede Weteringplantsoen was presented on Tuesday 9 Sept at the Turkse Arbeiders Vereniging Nederland. (see https://www.amsterdam.nl/projecten/weteringpark/nieuws/informatieavond/).
The building has two main rooms intended to be used as an after schools place for children and on an ad hoc basis for local activities. Next to both of these rooms there will be an outside space with an open roof.
The architect presented their plan for the new building. He motivated the design by referring to the windmill De Wetering, that used to be on the Weteringschans nearby. He said the new building reflects the design of the wings of this windmill. He also motivated the design as being open; both as much of its walls are of glass and that there are sight lines through the building.
The open roofs over the outside spaces were criticised by a lady in the audience on the grounds that they would not provide any protection for children and parents seeking shelter from rain showers.
The glass walls were criticised by another lady in the audience as being unsuitable for a children's playroom. Children like to scribble on walls and prick things onto boards etc.
I myself was concerned about the resilience of the glass to vandalism. The architect said that the glass was ordinary safety glass NOT vandal proof glass because that was what the Gemeente had asked for. I predict that within a fairly short time stones will be throne at these walls and so they will be broken. So I suggest that the Gemeente should be asked to require the glass to be vandal proof.
In my opinion the architect designed the building from a perspective of how it looked when newly built rather than having its suitability for the activities of its users in mind.
It’s a very pretty building that I fear will be covered in graffiti and broken within in a short time.
If anyone agrees with this, could they please contact me with suggestions about how to ask the Gemeente to adapt the design.
