Culture Centre, Utrecht : Architecture Information

Culture Centre, Utrecht, NL - 3XN Address: Smakkelaarsfeld, Utrecht, the Netherlands | Client: Gemeente Utrecht | Proposal for open, invited competition - under evaluation | Size: 45.000 m2 | Architect: 3XN | Engineer: ABT, the Netherlands With its remarkable, sculptural shape, the culture centre of Utrecht piques the curiosity of the endless stream of passers-by and future users of the library, cinema, shops, and book café integrated in the building. The upper levels of the construction are reserved for residential housing, which opens up to the sky providing residents with optimal daylight conditions and fresh air. The culture centre will be busy with life all hours of the day. When the residents wake up in their homes and step out into the sunlight on their upper floor terraces; when the library and shops open their doors during daytime; when the residents come home at night and stop by the book café and the variety of shops already busy handling other customers; when the cinema provides entertainment at night. We preserve the area’s existing notion of public life, while the centre will be as busy as an ant hill and constitute a new meeting place and urban space for the entire city. Further, the presence of shops and cafés help draw the street life into the building, and in our design the centre on Smakkelaarsfeld has not one but many facades. Even the adjacent park area will be visually linked with the centre because of the large open, inner square in the building with a direct view of the green neighbour. Our efforts to streamline traffic will create an active environment, which at the same time feels safe and friendly day and night. Correspondingly, the residents will profit from the heighten activity and extensive improvement of the area. The inner square creates the classic city feeling, and the activities in the public sphere render the residences more attractive because of the now central city location. Culture Centre Utrecht images / information from 3XN Architects Utrecht Architecture - Selection Educatorium Utrecht University Rem Koolhaas Architects / OMA photo : Alan Mason Utrecht building : Educatorium Utrecht University building Minnaert Building Neutelings & Riedijk Architects photo : Alan Mason Minnaert Building Hogeschool Utrecht Utrecht bridge Utrecht University Library