A new facade that, when you look closely, seamlessly blends in with the historic facades on De Markt. And as you get closer, you're surprised by the rich detailing and materials, the artisanal appearance, and the surprisingly contemporary feel.
I work with multiple passes, with both the architect and the client participating. At the end of the design phase, the architect/client selects from the options presented, which serves as the focus for the next phase.
For each building, I have developed various options regarding gloss level, colour, and specific artistic properties such as depth, vibrancy, and response to lighting conditions.
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The glaze was developed to respond to light conditions, giving the material its own sensuality. This finish is more than just colour and sheen, as we sought to capture the magic within the glaze. This creates a materiality that appeals to the senses and enlivens the streetscape. A play is created between the ephemeral nature of light and the tactile quality of the ceramic surface.
Valuable personal meetings during the design phase elevate the process. Material choices are refined, new perspectives on the overall design emerge, and further glaze research is warranted. The collaboration with a highly committed client, passionate architects, and a patient contractor makes this a truly special project.
The glaze recipe contains harmful particulate matter (PM), extracted from the ambient air of heavy industry to improve working conditions. This addition enlivens the colour. The use of PM in the glaze arose because these glazes held an inexplicable attraction on the architect (Pelle Poiesz of HP Architects).
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The eaves in the design reference a historical style of detailing, to align with a design language appropriate to the location. At the same time, a new form of ornamentation was sought, with a rich, artisanal appearance. A grayscale colour scheme for the corner building was sought for a long time, until during a meeting in my studio, the client’s eye was drawn to certain shades of greens that suddenly brought the stucco façade and dark grey brick strips to life. At this historically and archaeologically significant location, a new building has risen on the remains of an old cellar foundation. As soon as the scaffolding was removed, residents enthusiastically gathered and took selfies in front of the facade.
