Ruben Andersen Studio

Het Nieuwe Suikerplein

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Forslag i konkurrencen ''T Zoet, Breda (NL)_Europan 17: Living Cities'.

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2023
 

Masterplan for det tidligere industrielle område 'T Zoet i byen Breda. Se mere her: http://www.europan.nl/

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The challenge is re-linking the area of ‘T Zoet together with the city of Breda, acknowledging that the area has a different spirit and embedded expression than its surrounding quarters.

The Suikerplein and its adjacent areas contain traces of a history and industry which has value, yet with few concrete things to preserve, mostly prints of foundations of former structures and subtle impressions.

This proposal is based on a different topological reading of the site area where a new Suikerplein can be developed with these historic traces, and where shapes, materials as well as spaces are treated differently than a Tabula Rasa approach.

The proposal in many ways follows the current existing development plans’ layout for ‘T Zoet, but also sees the Suikerplein area as a different ‘game’ and place to develop, with an alternative approach and
program.​

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As a method of inducing a new vision and form of the new quarter of Suikerplein, this proposal has used a topological reading in drawing the different layers of both past, present and future.

This means a more abstract approach in creating a new architecture and urban style, which is holistic and rooted in the site’s Genius Loci, as a counter-answer to the Tabula Rasa approach.

Three steps of drawing and learning about the site has produced; an understanding of the existing and former traces, an emerging of new structures based on this, a frayed edge and a grid, and the forming of a landscape between the built and the river Mark.

The result of this approach has been reworked and rationalised into the shown site plan and drawings for
the new Suikerplein.