Forum Boerhaave

Abstract

The post-war neighbourhood Boerhaavewijk in Haarlem is an example of rational modernist urban planning following the design guidelines of air, light and space. Repeated typologies or ‘stamps’ of terraced housing and apartment buildings created by industrialised methods of construction were the answer to the population boom experienced in the 60s.
Today Boerhaavewijk is showing its age. The modernist principles have become old-fashioned and do not support a livable neighbourhood. The buildings do not comply with today's standards and are rapidly becoming outdated in both their function and technical state. The local architecture and urban planning don’t foster social cohesion or a strong identity.
Over time the demographics have been changing and growing, with a more diverse population as a result. Different migrant communities have made Boerhaavewijk their home. Spaces where people can meet however are limited in quantity and quality. There is a lack of future-proof public facilities and community spaces.
The current demand for housing has resulted in a lot of new construction in the neighbourhood, often replacing the old. The same construction methods and materials such as concrete, steel and brick are used, which have a large carbon footprint and are high in embodied energy. These buildings are not designed to be flexible and re-used, guaranteeing their demolition in the future. We use the same non-renewable materials and unsustainable construction methods as in the 60s.
In order to tackle these problems, the graduation project proposes the construction of Forum Boerhaave: the design of an iconic and sustainable building in Boerhaavewijk that can adapt to demographic changes. The forum is a multifunctional public place for people of the neighbourhood to meet, a community building to facilitate its users.
The site of the building is found in between the urban and the natural, connecting Boerhaavewijk and the Poelpolder. The building attempts to find a balance between the generic and the specific, as its intention is to facilitate instead of dictate, while also reacting to the specific conditions or the genius loci of the site.
In order to future-proof the building, the ‘open building’ principles of Habraken are applied. This way the building may adapt to future changes when demanded by its users. The materials used in the building are, as far as possible, locally harvested. An open plan is achieved through a timber skeleton structure, CLT floors and an aluminium space frame, the latter reclaimed from Schiphol. The plinth is 3D printed, using dredged earth from the river Spaarne. It is stabilised using Kaumera biopolymer and insulated with cellulose both harvested from sewage treatment plants, while reed fibres from the Poelpolder improve the tensile strength of the material.