Belgian Monument Competition, Amersfoort Museum of Hospitality Design Contest, Project News, Images
Museum of Hospitality Competition
Amersfoort Architecture Competition: Belgium Design Contest entry by Matthijs la Roi Architect
5 Jan 2017
Belgian Monument Competition Winner
‘Museum of Hospitality’ by Matthijs la Roi
Location: Belgenlaan 9, 3818 ZJ Amersfoort, the Netherlands
‘Museum of Hospitality’ is a winning design proposal for the Belgian monument competition by London based Dutch architect, Matthijs la Roi.
The museum will be built next to the current Belgian monument in the town of Amersfoort, Netherlands. The ambition of the museum is to enhance the current World War One monument into a symbol of hospitality for refugees in the Netherlands.
At the end of World War I, Belgium gifted a monument to the Netherlands in remembrance of the benevolent internment of Belgian soldiers during the war. Despite the fact that the monument is the largest of its kind in the Netherlands, its existence is relatively unknown by the Dutch citizens. The main reason is that the First World War barely lives in the Netherlands and is thus hardly remembered. It is practically forgotten that one million Belgians fled to neutral Netherlands at the beginning of the war in 1914.
The ‘Museum of Hospitality’ acts as an exhibition pavilion next to the current monument. It tells the story of the Belgian refugees during World War I with the intention of drawing parallels to today’s refugee crisis as well. It will stand as a reminder to future generations of the importance of providing hospitality to those in need.
Two masses come together in unity to form one pavilion. Each of the masses hosts a small exhibition space. The first exhibition will tell the story of the Belgian refugee crisis in the Netherlands during World War I. The second space will exhibit the 100 years of refugee hospitality in the Netherlands from World War I and onwards.
The building’s form is based on a contemporary interpretation of the ‘Amsterdam style’ of the existing monument. Plasticity of masses was an essential attribute of this style.
The new pavilion is composed out of dynamic masses evoking movement and pliancy, whereas the existing monument is a vertical composition. The two, existing and new, will be tied together through materiality as they both use the same brick and limestone.
The museum is scheduled to be constructed by 2019.
Belgian Monument Design Competition – Contest Information
Architect: Matthijs la Roi www.matthijslaroi.com
Project: ‘Museum of Hospitality’ – Competition Belgian Monument
Jury: Peter Vandermeersch, Rob van der Laarse, Anne Holtrop, Ann Demeester, Johanna van der Werff
Location: Belgenlaan 9, 3818 ZJ Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Year: 2016
Client: FASadE
Size: 150m²
About Matthijs la Roi
Matthijs la Roi, born in 1988 in the Netherlands is an experimental architect based in the United Kingdom. He studied architecture at the Delft University of Technology where he graduated Cum Laude.
In his work he often tries to combine artisan craftsmanship and low tech solutions with new technologies, fabrication techniques and materials.
Matthijs la Roi worked as an architect in renowned international architecture and design firms such as Heatherwick Studio in London and the Laboratory for Visionary Architecture in Stuttgart. In his career he has worked on large and complex international projects with clients such as Google, Philips, Frankfurt airport and IKEA.
He is a licensed architect in the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Museum of Hospitality Competition Belgian Monument images / information from Architect Matthijs la Roi
Location: Belgenlaan 9, 3818 ZJ Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Belgian Architecture
Belgian Architecture Design – chronological list
Website: Belgian Monument Museum of Hospitality Competition Winner
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