Description

On 13 May 2008, the Tuesday after Pentecost, the building of TU Delft's Faculty of Architecture burnt down completely. Much was lost, but fortunately no personal accidents occurred.

The fire became a new beginning for Bouwkunde and also for the TU. It loosened up a lot. People had to think again about what a faculty building should be and there was a pleasant confusion about the idea of campus and its relationship with the city.

The dull old main building on Julianalaan was completely transformed in a short time into a dynamic inner world with a vibrant inviting atmosphere. This could only come about because of an infectious élan among the designers involved and their coordinators. The fire and the urgency for new accommodation set aside all the usual procedures and completely overturned the typical university bureaucracy and rational building procedure with a still stunning result.

Speaker(s)

Prof Wytze Patijn studied architecture at TU Delft (ir. 1976). After his studies, he worked as an architect at the Public Housing Department of the municipality of Rotterdam, where he was involved in urban renewal. In this position, he realised several experimental housing projects. In 1987, he started an architectural firm under the name Wytze Patijn Architects, which merged with KuiperCompagnons in 1998.

From 1993 to 1995, he was professor of Architectural Design at TU Delft. From 1995 to the end of 2000, he was Chief Government Architect. In 1998 until January 2010, he joined KuiperCompagnons, Bureau for Architecture and Urban Design in Rotterdam, as director/architect/urban planner. From 2006 to 2011, he was dean of the Faculty of Architecture at Delft University of Technology, to which he is still attached as visiting professor of architecture. From January 2011, he has been established as an independent architect-consultant in Rotterdam. In that position, he is, among other things, city architect of the municipality of Delft and chairman of the Q-team of the municipality of Middelburg.

Location

Science Centre

Mijnbouwstraat 120, 2628 RX Delft

Organiser

History of Technology

Histechnica

Name and contact details for information

Further information at dr.ir. Paul van Woerkom (tel. 070 - 3070275 in the evening) or via the e-mail address below

pthlmvanwoerkom@gmail.com

Route description