the k unst hdal r otter dam rem k oolh aas · was designed by architect rem koolhaas and the office...
TRANSCRIPT
FOR
M The Kunsthal Rotterdam built in 1992 was designed by architect Rem Koolhaas and the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA). The building hosts 3000 square me-ters of exhibition space, an auditorium, a book shop, and a restaurant. The exhibition areas include two large, and two smaller galleries that can be used together or separately. Its location situates it as the gateway to Rotter-dam’s cultural amenities (OMA Website).
The Kunsthal was built as an invest-ment in Rotterdam’s cultural capital to stimu-late tourism. The city is now is now one of the cultural hubs of The Netherlands. Since destruction during World War II the city has undergone infrastructure, economic and cultural regeneration. In the 1990’s the city developed “clusters” in telecommunication, and audio-visual services, and design and me-dia, striving to develop an image as a cultural city. Rotterdam has a rich history of culture, and wanted to promote it as cultural tourism. What Rotterdam was missing to succeed this goal was an adequate supply of cultural facili-ties. The Kunsthal was built with the desire for architecture that could draw global atten-tion, and could put Rotterdam on the Euro-pean Cultural stage.
2
The modest exterior form of the building says little to reveal the complexities of the building’s interior. During an interview with New York Times Koolhaas said, ‘’I like to do things that on first sight have a degree of simplicity but show their complexity in the way they are used or at second glance,’’ this is certainly the case for this Rotterdam project.
Kunsthal’s program is contained in a rectangular prism. In plan, the building is a square crosses by two routes, creating four autonomous projects. The Site is slopped, with the approach from the Maasboulevar being six meters higher than the park to the north. A ramp runs north south though the core of the building, connecting the busy Maasboulevard, to the park. This ramp also separates the galleries on the east, from the rest of the program on the west. The driving concept of the design is that of a continuous circuit. A spiral circu-lation route, enabled by the use of large ramps, connects the public areas of the Kunsthal. The ramps give the building a sense that floors have dropped down and moved up to meet each other
1. Square Plan 2. Exterior/Public Circulation. 4. Four Autonomous Projects. 3. Program Separation. 5. Continuous Circulation
3Circulation in Section Form in Section
FOR
M
FOR
M Some have referred to Kunsthal as a post-modernist project due to the use of the juxtaposition of a range of materials, includ-ing black glass, corrugated galvanized metal grills, steel, concrete, stone cladding, and glazing. The material composition of Kunsthal is characterized by a sequence of surprises; Koolhaas takes advantage of the unexpected with material, as well as structure and pro-gram to create experiences that are both sacred and profane.
Koolhaas Worked with Structural En-gineer Cecil Balmond to generate a form that was truly a collaboration of Architecture and Engineering. Balmond does not see a sepa-ration between architecture and Structure; rather, they are aspects of a unified whole that generate form (Baumeister and Lee). Balmond sought to brake out of the dominant order, he said, “Trapped by the Cartesian Cage I wanted to break out … that opportunity came with Rem Koolhaas and the Kunsthal Rotterdam.” Working together that two were able to generate the unusual structural build-ing components such as the ramps supported it by seemingly unstable angled columns.
4
5
Peter Eisenman brings to our attention two opposing concerns with form; the first is a concern for internal composition, the program and how it is organized, and the second is a ‘concern for the articula-tion of ideal themes in form” (Eisenman 1968). Eisenman explains that these concerns are two sides of the same coin, the challenge being to work with them together. After the industrial revolution programs became increasingly complex, as a result the type-form relationship shifted. Architects since turning to the simplified doctrine of ‘form follows function.’Eisenman On the other hand Balmond argues that a form does not stand alone, explaining, a form is ‘almost a product of it’s content’ (Baumeister and Lee).
It would be inaccurate to say Koolhaas formally took a form follows function approach. He started the de-sign with a piece of pure geometry, a square, for the plan. He then added a primary circulation route, that’s open to the public and the outdoors, acting to divide the space into four regions.
If Koolhaas had taken the concept of generating a space with continuous circulation, without the initial plan of a square he may have resulted in an entirely different building. A variety of forms could have devel-oped, to illustrate this I will present an alternative. He could have taken the deign approach that he used but used a different piece of geometry, let’s say an ellipse. He could have included the same and circula-tion but he would have achieved a very different form, although interestingly a similar profile would have resulted.
Circulation in Plan
FOR
M
BODY 7
HA
PPY/
SAD
GO
OD
/BA
D
DU
ALI
SM
SIN
GU
LAR
MALE FORM
MA
LE F
ORM
?
In th
e te
xt “
the
build
ing
in p
ain
Ant
hony
V
idle
r w
rite
s ab
out t
he h
isto
ry o
f th
e bo
dy
and
arch
itect
ure,
est
ablis
hing
thre
e hi
stor
i-ca
l per
iods
; the
bui
ldin
g as
bod
y, b
uild
ing
as
epito
miz
ing
bodi
ly s
tate
s an
d th
e en
viro
n-m
ent e
ndow
ed w
ith b
ody.
One
can
dis
cuss
th
e K
unst
hal R
otte
rdam
in li
ght o
f th
e fi r
st
two
of th
ese
hist
oric
al p
erio
ds. F
irst
, as
Vid
ler
expl
ains
, “In
vitr
uvia
n an
d re
nais
sanc
e th
eory
, th
e bo
dy is
dir
ectly
pro
ject
ed o
n to
the
build
-in
g.”
(Vid
ler
1990
). A
s th
ough
res
pond
ing
dire
ctly
to V
idle
r’s
hist
oric
al d
escr
iptio
n, R
em
Koo
lhaa
s ha
s lit
eral
ly p
roje
cted
the
mal
e bo
dy
onto
the
Kun
stha
l Rot
terd
am. A
n ic
on o
f th
e m
ale fi g
ure
is u
sed
twic
e on
the
build
ing
The
fi r
st is
see
n as
one
app
roac
hes
the
build
ing
from
afa
r. T
he s
econ
d co
py o
f th
e sa
me
im-
age
is lo
cate
d at
the
entr
ance
, bot
h in
stan
ces
the
imag
es is
situ
ated
bes
ide
a se
t of
arro
ws
beco
min
g m
an to
com
e fo
rwar
d.
The
add
ition
gra
phic
rep
rese
ntat
ions
of
the
body
in th
e m
useu
m a
re a
pai
r of
sm
iley
face
s on
two
pane
s of
gla
ss th
at a
ppea
r to
ove
r la
p,
mer
ging
to g
ener
ate
an e
xpre
ssio
n th
at b
egin
s to
look
mor
e lik
e a
pig
that
a h
uman
.
BODY 8
The
exp
erie
nce
of th
e bu
ildin
g st
arts
with
the
entr
ance
. The
gra
phic
on
the
fron
t doo
r is
icon
ical
y m
ale;
the
imag
e sp
eaki
ng to
Fila
ret’s
di
stin
ctio
n th
at n
ot o
nly
is a
rchi
tect
ure
linke
d to
the
hum
an b
ody,
it is
link
ed to
the
mal
e bo
dy, “
the
build
ing
is c
onst
ruct
ed a
s a
sim
ile
for
the
hum
an fi
gure
. You
see
that
I h
ave
show
n yo
u by
mea
ns o
f a
sim
ile th
at a
bui
ldin
g is
der
ived
fro
m m
an…
” (A
gres
t Thi
s m
ale
grap
hic
is m
ost o
ften
see
n pa
ired
with
it c
ount
er p
art t
he ‘
fem
ale’
gra
phic
. The
fem
ale
is e
xclu
ded
in it
s ab
senc
e. A
ccor
ding
to A
gres
t’s
logi
c, w
hen
som
ethi
ng is
exc
lude
d so
met
hing
is n
eces
sari
ly in
clud
ed. T
his
has
been
the
case
with
the
hist
ory
of a
rchi
tect
ure
in w
hich
th
e m
ale
body
has
pla
yed
a fo
unda
tiona
l rol
e, w
hile
the
fem
ale
body
has
had
no
pres
ence
. It c
ould
be
argu
ed th
at th
e si
ngul
ar p
rese
nce
of m
an o
n th
e bu
ildin
g su
ppor
ts A
gres
t’s a
rgum
ent t
hat L
ogoc
entr
ism
and
mal
e an
thro
pom
orph
ism
has
bee
n th
e fo
unda
tiona
l sys
tem
in
arch
itect
ure
sinc
e V
itruv
ius.
Sin
ce th
e re
nais
sanc
e an
y vo
ice
that
dec
lare
d th
at b
uild
ings
sho
uld
embr
ace
or e
mbo
dy th
e fe
mal
e fo
rm
was
not
hea
rd. I
f L
eona
rd D
a V
inci
eve
r dr
ew a
Vitr
uvia
n w
oman
, tho
se d
raw
ings
wer
e lo
st, n
ever
to m
ake
thei
r pl
ace
in h
isto
ry. U
pon
map
ping
cir
cula
tion
arou
nd a
nd th
ough
the
build
ing,
a f
orm
al s
imila
rity
to F
ranc
esco
di G
iorg
io M
artin
i’s p
ropo
rtio
ning
of
a te
mpl
e de
sign
, can
be
seen
.
CIR
CU
LATI
ON
MA
P
BODY 9
The
Kun
stha
l als
o sp
eaks
to V
idle
r’s
seco
nd h
isto
rica
l per
iod
– th
at o
f th
e bu
ildin
g ep
itom
izin
g bo
dily
sta
tes.
Koo
l-ha
as tr
uly
succ
eede
d in
cre
atin
g a
subl
ime
arch
itect
ure,
that
evo
kes
terr
or, f
ear,
and
delig
ht. T
he jo
urne
y th
roug
h th
e bu
ildin
g br
ings
on
thes
e em
otio
ns in
pat
tern
. The
Kun
stha
l Rot
terd
am K
oolh
aas
gene
rate
s a
com
posi
tion
of e
mot
ion-
al s
tate
s, ta
king
the
mus
eum
s gu
est t
hrou
gh a
phy
siol
ogic
al jo
urne
y th
ough
the
build
ing.
Thi
s ex
peri
ence
sta
rts
with
th
e de
light
of
ente
ring
the
build
ing.
The
re is
sur
pris
e w
hen
one
disc
over
s th
at th
ey e
nter
the
mus
eum
, at t
he f
ront
of
AN
XIET
Y
SUPR
ISE
DEL
IGH
T
THR
EE
EM
OTI
ON
AL
STA
TES
9
BODY
supr
ise
delig
htax
iety
contrasting smileys
stage frieght
the forest
angular pillars
Beautiful textures
image of scelaton
exhibition space
views
exhibition space
garden room
kuns
tal r
otte
rdam
_em
otio
nal e
xper
ienc
eku
nsta
l rot
terd
am_e
mot
iona
l exp
erie
nce
a th
eate
r, an
d th
en f
ear
at h
e re
aliz
atio
n th
at th
e su
ppor
ting
colu
mns
look
as
thou
gh th
ey a
re a
bout
to c
olla
pse.
The
exp
erie
ntia
l jou
rney
th
roug
hout
the
build
ing
is b
ased
on
perc
eptio
n an
d th
is jo
urne
y co
uld
cont
inue
to c
hang
e de
pend
ing
on th
e in
divi
dual
. The
Kun
stha
l R
otte
rdam
can
not b
e ex
peri
ence
d pu
rely
by
sigh
t but
mus
t be
expe
rien
ced.
It i
s no
t sum
med
up
pure
ly in
the
visu
al b
ut a
lso
in m
ater
ial
text
ures
, qua
lity
of li
ght,
and
emot
iona
l sta
tes.
10
BODYW
orks
Cite
d
Agr
est,
Dia
na (
1993
). “
Arc
hite
ctur
e fr
om w
ithou
t: B
ody
Log
ic a
nd S
ex”,
in A
rchi
tect
ure
With
out.
Mel
eauu
-Pon
ty, “
The
Syn
thes
is o
f O
ne’s
Ow
n B
ody”
in P
heno
men
olog
y of
Per
cept
ion
Vid
ler,
Ant
hony
. (19
93)“
The
Bui
ldin
g in
Pai
n: T
he b
ody
and
Arc
hite
ctur
e in
Pos
t-M
oder
n C
ultu
re,”
in A
A fi
les1
9, A
rchi
tec-
tura
l Ass
ocia
tion.
TECHNIQUE
11
Tech
niqu
e
Rem
Koo
lhaa
s an
d C
ecil
Bal
mon
d w
orke
d to
geth
er e
ach
brin
ging
thei
r ow
n se
t of
tech
-ni
ques
, to
the
tabl
e to
pro
duce
the
Kun
stha
l R
otte
rdam
. The
Arc
hite
ct a
nd th
e en
gine
er,
each
with
thei
r ow
n se
t of
tech
niqu
es, b
oth
appr
oach
ed th
e pr
ojec
ts u
ncon
vent
iona
lly,
reim
agin
ing
norm
ativ
e sy
stem
s, to
pro
duce
th
e un
expe
cted
. By
payi
ng w
ith p
eopl
e ex
-pe
ctat
ions
, and
pro
duci
ng th
e un
expe
cted
em
otio
nal r
epos
es to
the
build
ing
and
it’s
com
pone
nts
coul
d be
pro
duce
d. R
em K
ool-
haas
mad
e so
me
form
al d
ecis
ions
, dec
idin
g to
cut
the
build
ing
with
bot
h ve
hicu
lar
and
pede
stri
an tr
affi c
, and
to b
ase
the fl o
or p
lans
an
d ci
rcul
atio
n on
a s
pira
l. K
oolh
aas
play
ed
with
the
unex
pect
ed in
his
use
of
his
prog
ram
ad
jace
ncie
s, g
raph
ics
and
mat
eria
ls. C
ecil
Bal
mon
d co
nfro
nted
the
Car
tesi
an g
rid
and,
an
d cr
eate
d a
stru
ctur
e th
at is
“fu
ll of
sta
ccat
o an
d of
f be
at r
hyth
m. U
sing
trad
ition
al te
ch-
niqu
es a
s a
star
ting
poin
t, B
alm
ond
was
not
bo
und
to p
aral
lel l
ines
or
pred
icta
ble
patte
rn
in th
is p
roje
ct.
TECHNIQUE
12
Koo
lhau
s -
Cir
cula
tion
It is
mos
t lik
ely
that
Rem
Koo
lhaa
s fi r
st s
tart
ed h
is p
roje
ct w
ith a
site
ana
lysi
s. T
he s
ite is
situ
ated
bet
wee
n th
e M
as-
bulo
vard
to th
e so
uth
and
the
Mus
eum
Par
k to
the
Nor
th. A
qui
ck s
ite a
naly
sis
wou
ld h
ave
reve
aled
that
ther
e ar
e tw
o ci
rcul
atio
n ro
utes
that
mov
e th
roug
h th
e si
te, a
ped
estr
ian
path
and
a v
ehic
ular
roa
d. R
athe
r th
an r
outin
g th
ese
path
-w
ays
arou
nd th
e m
useu
m, K
oolh
aas
deci
ded
that
the
path
s co
uld
be in
tegr
ated
into
the
build
ing
by g
oing
und
er a
nd
Maa
sbou
leva
rd/h
ighw
ay
MU
SEU
M P
ARK
KUN
STH
AL
SITE
IND
UST
RIA
LPe
dest
rican
Pat
hs
Vehi
cula
r pat
chs
Vehi
cula
r pat
chs
Circ
ulat
ion
thro
ugh
and
arou
nd b
uild
ing
TECHNIQUE
14Bif
Bifri
cicat
ing
ting
Fold
ing
oldi
ng
Spi
Spira
lal F
orm
thro
ugh
it. B
ring
ing
exte
rnal
cir
-cu
latio
n in
to th
e bu
ildin
g br
oke
the
proj
ect i
nto
four
dis
tinct
qu
adra
nts.
To
reun
ify
the
proj
ect,
Koo
haas
des
igne
d th
e ci
rcul
a-tio
n to
be
a sp
iral
. To
achi
eve
a sp
iral
ing
circ
ulat
ion
path
, the
fl o
or p
lats
we fi r
st b
ifur
cate
d an
d th
en f
olde
d ov
er e
ach
othe
r, to
al
low
for
the fl o
ors
to c
ontin
ue
upw
ards
with
out
div
isio
n.
Spira
l
TECHNIQUE
15
Cec
il B
alm
ond
used
a s
erie
s of
axi
oms
to d
efi n
e th
e lo
gic
behi
nd v
ario
us f
eatu
res
of th
e fo
rm a
nd
stru
ctur
e, th
e th
ree
axio
ms
that
he
used
wer
e br
ace,
sl
ip, a
nd f
ram
e.
Bal
mon
d lo
oks
to c
onve
ntio
nal s
truc
tura
l str
ate-
gies
as
a st
artin
g po
int a
nd th
en R
ethi
nks
thes
e st
rate
gies
to g
ener
ate
com
pelli
ng r
esul
ts. W
ithin
th
is p
roje
ct h
e do
es n
ot ta
ke a
ny p
roce
ss f
or
gran
ted
and
alw
ays
expl
ores
alte
rnat
ive
way
s of
ta
cklin
g st
ruct
ural
pro
blem
s. B
y br
akin
g aw
ay
from
sta
ndar
d co
nven
tions
Bal
mon
d is
has
fou
nd a
w
ay to
use
str
uctu
re to
trig
ger
emot
iona
l res
pons
es
such
as
delig
ht, s
urpr
ises
and
anx
iety
.
The
col
umns
in th
e m
ain
exhi
bitio
n sp
ace
slip
pa
ssed
eac
h ot
her.
Ori
gina
lly th
ere
wer
e fo
ur c
ol-
umns
pla
ced
on a
squ
are,
at t
he in
ters
ectio
n po
int
of th
e st
ruct
ural
gri
d. B
y al
low
ing
the
colu
mns
to
slip
pas
t eac
h ot
her
the
colu
mns
stil
l con
form
to
the
stru
ctur
al g
rid
whi
le a
llow
ing
for
a m
ore
dyna
mic
for
mal
ele
men
t with
in th
e sp
ace.
Bal
mon
d al
so r
etho
ught
the
trad
ition
al tr
uss
by
turn
ing
it on
its
side
, arg
uing
that
it is
mor
e vi
su-
ally
com
pelli
ng th
is w
ay a
nd a
lso
that
it is
arg
u-ab
ly s
tron
ger.
Brace
Slip
Frame
Cartesian column grid
Frame
CON
VEN
TIO
NA
L ST
ON
VEN
TIO
NA
L ST
RATE
GIE
STE
GIE
S
STSTRA
TEG
IES
REI
TEG
IES
REIM
AGIN
EDG
INED
Truss
Chan
Chan
ging
in
g fo
rce
Tran
sitio
nan
sitio
n
Rotate
stagger
shear
TECHNIQUE
6
Bal
mon
d en
able
d K
oolh
aas’
s sp
iral
by
mov
ing
beyo
nd th
e st
rict
ly h
ori-
zont
al a
nd v
ertic
al p
lane
s, a
nd b
ring
ing
in d
iago
nal s
urfa
ces.
To
brea
k th
e co
nven
tiona
l, co
lum
ns a
nd b
eam
cub
e he
sea
red
the
stru
ctur
e, a
nd
bifu
rcat
ed th
e fl o
or p
late
s, a
llow
ing
for
cont
inuo
us c
ircu
latio
n th
at s
pira
ls
upw
ards
. T
he s
uppo
rtin
g co
lum
ns a
re a
lso
angl
ed to
cou
nter
the
shif
ting
wei
ght o
f th
e fl o
or p
lats
. art
entr
ance
Ang
led
colu
mns
surf
acec
text
ure-
sAng
led
colu
mns
audi
ence
_sea
tings
tage
fre
ight
view
sSke
lato
ncon
tras
ting
smile
ys
Thr
ough
thei
r us
e of
mat
eria
l and
str
uctu
ral t
echn
ique
s B
alm
ond
and
Koo
lhau
s cr
eate
d a
seri
es o
f em
otio
nal r
espo
nses
¬ th
at o
ccup
ants
exp
e-ri
ence
as
they
mov
e th
roug
h th
e sp
ace.
Som
e of
the
stra
tegi
es th
at th
ey
use
thou
gh p
lace
men
t of
unex
pect
ed g
raph
ics,
suc
h as
the
smile
y fa
ces,
an
d th
e m
ale
sym
bol p
lace
d on
the
roof
and
at t
he e
ntra
nce,
thro
ugh
the
use
of u
nexp
ecte
d su
ch a
s th
e pe
rfor
ated
mat
eria
ls g
alva
nize
d st
eel fl
oor
-in
g. d
iago
nal fl
oor
pla
tes
and
irre
gula
r co
lum
ns.
cont
rast
ing
smile
ys
Skel
aton
view
s
stag
e fr
eigh
t
audi
ence
_sea
ting
Ang
led
colu
mns
surf
acec
text
ures
Ang
led
colu
mns
entr
ance
art
cont
rast
ing
smile
ys
Skel
aton
view
s
stag
e fr
eigh
t
audi
ence
_sea
ting
Ang
led
colu
mns
surf
acec
text
ures
Ang
led
colu
mns
entr
ance
art
TECHNIQUEW
orks
Cite
d
Agr
est,
Dia
na (
1993
). “
Arc
hite
ctur
e fr
om w
ithou
t: B
ody
Log
ic a
nd S
ex”,
in A
rchi
tect
ure
With
out.
Mel
eauu
-Pon
ty, “
The
Syn
thes
is o
f O
ne’s
Ow
n B
ody”
in P
heno
men
olog
y of
Per
cept
ion
Vid
ler,
Ant
hony
. (19
93)“
The
Bui
ldin
g in
Pai
n: T
he b
ody
and
Arc
hite
ctur
e in
Pos
t-M
oder
n C
ultu
re,”
in A
A fi
les1
9, A
rchi
tec-
tura
l Ass
ocia
tion.
Bal
mon
d, C
ecil
(200
2) I
nfor
mal
. Pre
stel
, Lon
don.
Bau
mei
ster
, Rut
h an
d Sa
ng L
ee. T
he d
omes
tic a
nd th
e fo
reig
n in
arc
hite
ctur
e.
Eis
enm
an, P
eter
(19
68)
“Pos
t Fun
ctio
nalis
m”
in K
.M. H
ays,
ed.
Arc
hite
ctur
e T
heor
ysi
nce
1968
,
OM
A. “
Kun
stha
l, N
ethe
rlan
ds, R
otte
rdam
, 199
2” R
etre
ived
on
Oct
1st
201
0, f
rom