Connected by the River
Jaar
Cliënt
Diensten
Status
Overzicht
Plot (Context and Setting)
Cultuurhuis Katwijk is a fusion of the local library, music school, and adult education centre. In 2023, we won the tender to design and realize two key locations: one on the Emmaplein in Katwijk aan Zee and one in De Burgt in Rijnsburg. We took the Rhine – the river connecting all the villages of Katwijk – as our central metaphor. Like the river, the design meanders through the building, layering texture, history, and spatial flow. Inspired by riverbeds, shifting landscapes, and local heritage, the design offers a sense of continuity and belonging.
Characters (User Groups)
Cultuurhuis Katwijk belongs to the people. Through an extensive participatory process involving residents, volunteers, staff, and end users, we created a shared vision. Workshops, walk-in evenings, and co-design sessions led to a program of requirements shaped by the community. The result is a space for everyone – from age 0 to 100 – to feel welcome and at home, whether they come to read, learn, perform, or simply meet others.
Storyline – Gathering around Culture
At the heart of both buildings lies a central café – the social anchor of each location. Around it, a large wooden gesture unfolds, forming a sculptural element that combines seating, circulation, and architectural rhythm. From this centre, the library and educational facilities expand organically, offering spaces to study, take courses, read, meet, or perform.
In Rijnsburg, we drew inspiration from the historical abbey that once stood on this site. Its architectural arches were reinterpreted into a structural framework for a new theatre hall that now occupies the former courtyard and forms a bold new entrance to the building. The past becomes a foundation for the future.
Scenes (Design Translated into Form)
01 A Wooden Core – at both sites, a sculptural wooden structure anchors the café and creates flow, seating, and access in one gesture.
02 The River as Guide – meandering circulation, layered textures, and landscape-inspired forms evoke the course of the Rhine.
03 History as Foundation – in De Burgt, the former abbey inspires a dramatic theatre hall built on historic forms and rhythms.
04 Colour as Compass – warm hues guide visitors to meeting and creative spaces, while deep blues define quiet study zones.
05 For All Ages – a welcoming cultural space for every resident of Katwijk, from toddler to elder.
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