Alexander Petrounine.

Status: Schetsontwerp
Location: Amsterdam, NL
Original architect: De Haas, Heese & Van der Klei (1973)
Design team: Alexander Petrounine, Michelle Bettman
Client: Self initiated, in collaboration with Kust Zuid.

The former R.K. Industrial school for girls was designed by the architects G.J. de Haas, J. Chr. Heese and Th.J.N. van der Klei, and built in 1971-1973. The building has a clearly visible concrete skeleton, both on the outside and inside. Together with the facade elements, window strips that stagger in relation to each other, the building is typical of the functionalist architecture of the 1970s. It is therefore of great architectural-historical value.

At the time, the building was part of a cluster of school buildings, some of which were demolished in the 1980s. The building is now used as a “broedplaats”; housing a community of creative’s ranging from poets, photographers, game developers, architects, artists, etc.

We have been informed that there is an intention to demolish the “broedplaats” in the old school building (the 'Old School'), in order to make space for mono-functional housing. We would like to share our vision regarding a different zoning plan solution.

In the “Bestemmingsplan Zuidas, Kop Zuidas 2018”, the use and construction options for the area are laid down. We would like to integrate the preservation of the Old Schoo into the Zoning of Plan Kop Zuidas.
We see the Old School as an autonomous building with a cool and unique architecture. With its simple design, the building functions as an anchor, a snapshot of the 1970s; a time where learning, playing, and meeting took place in the building. Since then, the soul of the building lives on in the hearts of its new inhabitants. A community of free space, for free thinkers and doers.

In order to respect the municipality's housing ambition, we have presented a scenario in which housing in relation to the cultural program can be included as a realistic (re)development strategy.