Visitors to the renovated nature and recreation area Krimpenerhout can unwind at a new pavilion erected near a natural swimming pond. The building’s design connects perfectly with the area’s existing cultural-historical values.
Studio Frame: Paul Voorbergen / André Middelkoop
Location: Netherlands
Year: 2019
Krimpenerhout (recreation area and natural reserve near Rotterdam)
construction: Van Bemmel Advies- & ingenieursbureau bouwconstructies
rooftop vegetation: Johan van den Perk
photography: Frank Penders
technical drawing: LIJNN
client and constructor: Verboon Maasland
Groenalliantie Midden-Holland and Staatsbosbeheer asked Studio Frame to design an inviting pavilion that offered the required amenities for picnicking and sheltering from the rain.
The area around the site lacked existing built-up elements that could serve as a context for our design approach. In other words, we needed to start from scratch: developing a new identity for the pavilion that would be a natural fit with its environs.
We took the landscape’s cultural-historical values as a point of departure in this process. In designing the pavilion, we referred to local elements like wooden farm gates and the wild, grassy canal banks. By framing the design with such characteristic elements, we were able to add an associative layer that captures the essence of the location.
In concrete terms, this led to the features like a green roof for the pavilion that includes native grasses and herbs from the nearby Dutch meadowlands. The pattern of oak bars and struts along the edge of its roof refers to the traditional wooden farm gates found throughout the region.
The design also aligns with various landscape elements in the surrounding area, like hills that shield the building and access paths. The result is a cohesive blend of forms and vegetation – and a brand-new pavilion that seems completely at home in its surroundings.
