MAKS I Marieke Kums

Europan 11 . Deventer

courtesy of MAKS | Marieke Kums

The City of Deventer is in search of ideas for the regeneration of the old harbor area: how to update the outdated industrial parts of a city?
Before proposing new interventions we began with a careful study of the dynamics of the existing situation. We organized spaces, places and activities not by age or type, but by the way people use them today. We identified and mapped all areas and investigated the potential of un(der)used spaces. After that we started a study of a possible distribution of the varied program and activities; (traditional)work spaces, student housing, a cafe, car parks, spaces for artists, a waiting area for boats, a public toiltet, outdoor cinema area, etc.
To accomodate these programmes the addition of a single volume, as proposed in the original master plan, seemed to make it difficult to interweave and integrate within the existing context. Strangely, we felt that to connect, we needed to disconnect, to fragment. Our proposal thus became a closely knit collection of single volumes. The ensemble allows various identities to co-exist naturally and for existing elements to be easily incorporated. It allows users to move on site in multiple directions and activities to take place simultaneously. It need not to be planned at build all at once; it can grow over time and mutate parallel to the needs and wishes of its users.
The surrounding old silo’s will maintain their historical dominant appreance and position, but will be re-programmed to better connect to the new conditions on site.

MAKS I Marieke Kums
Europan 11 – runner up
Location: Deventer

Team: Marieke Kums, Eun yong Kim, Yong il Kim, Yuka Takeuchi