Community Center in Groningen / Kwint Architecten

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Text description provided by the architects. Kwint Architecten designed a community centre for the Paddepoel-Zuid & Tuinwijk districts in de dutch City of Groningen. The community center is located in a parc, called the Bessemoerpark, as a link between the two districts. As part of the transformation of the parc, Kwint Architecten was assigned to design a building with it’s own character, independent from the parc. The building is set up as an unpretentious master volume with an elongated shape. The volume is placed crosswise in the elongated parc, as a result of which transforms the building in a link between the two adjacent city districts.

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The entrance of the building is situated alongside a footpath between these districts. By means of rounding of two of the four corners the building derives a distinctive character. As a result of the rounding, the front and side facades melt together and prevents the use of the outdoor spaces at only one side. Instead, the shape stimulates the use of all the outdoor space alongside the building for activities. The building is designed to be a guest in the parc and to interact with the parc. Two elements are a added to the design. At one side a cavity is formed to mark the entrance, at the other side a porch is added which connects the main rooms to the parc.

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A central corridor connects the three main rooms, the kitchen, the entrance and the toilets. The corridor is set up commodious to accommodate several activities and is connected with the middel main room. In all the building is usable for multiple purposes. The interior is finished with whitewash plywood, polished concrete floors and stretched metal panels. T The facades of the Bessemoerpark community centre are clad with steel cladding shaped like scales, which makes it a maverick building where different activities can be organized for the inhabitants of the two districts.

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