Boekenberg Park
To restore the physical, or to rehabilitate the conceptual?
Presented with the task of working in a historical context, especially in continental
Europe where the architecture of the past is still very much present, architects are
often faced with the question of whether they should restore the physical or
rehabilitate the conceptual. Indeed, any attempt to prescribe a general answer to this
question would undoubtedly overlook the complexities and nuances that come with
it. Rather, the question of whether to restore or rehabilitate works to introduce us to
the thought process behind architectural projects in historical contexts. In particular,
this question came to the fore in response to the combined decision of the city of
Antwerp and the heritage committee to improve the historical
Boekenberg park in Deurne, Belgium.
Until recently the southern area of Boekenberg park had been in very poor
condition and its open-air swimming pool in particular no longer complied with
modern building and health regulations. Hence, this area became the focus of the
assignment formulated by the city of Antwerp and the heritage committee. Within the
framework of a public-private partnership, the architectural office OMGEVING was
appointed to give shape to the new ambitions of the city.
Evaluating the site's history
The architects and landscape designers began their spacial investigations of this
project by looking at the park's historical development over the past few centuries .
Keeping in mind its long history of being passed over to different owners who each
imposed their own architectural styles onto the site, three distinguishable phases
begin to emerge:
- Within the first phase, which occurs between the 16th and the 18th century, the domain is used as a holiday retreat by various families. In this phase, only the necessary investments into the site are made.
- The second phase, beginning in 1752 and ending with the breakout of the first world war, may be called a “golden” or “peak” period for the park. It is characterised as such since during this period the park was gradually developed into a proper residence in the Rococo style, along with a large English garden surrounding it. All of the investments into the site are done carefully under the supervision of prominent architects and according to the latest fashions of the time. Each improvement is well thought out and done so as to bring more recognition and prestige to its owners.
- The third phase of the site's development, taking place during the 20th century, is characterised by short-sighted developments and a gradual degeneration of the park. Before becoming recognised as a natural heritage site in 1974, this phase marks a time of unsustainable planning and a lack of long-term vision which eventually results in the destruction of the park's most historically valuable features. Apart from the three phases distinguished here, we should also point out that from 1972 onwards, during Boekenberg park's most recent history, a fourth phase may be identified. This final period is primarily one of rehabilitation and upkeep of this historically valuable site. Based on this historical analysis, it becomes clear that the ambitions behind the changes which occurred to the site during its second historical phase are repeated in the final and most recent phase since both periods emphasise the development of the site. In this way, a continuation of Boekenberg's golden phase was sought by the architects at OMGEVING. Such a continuation of aims however suggested that the architects and landscapes designers open themselves up to the stylistics and overall spirit of romanticism. In concrete terms, this meant that the mirror pond sitting at the northern area of the site would need to be restored, along with the surrounding landscape since both are valuable elements within the heritage of the site. Restoring the park to its former glory would nonetheless have to face the challenge of responding to the city of Antwerp's request to rebuild the outdoor swimming pool, which had been constructed in the 1930s. As such, the third historical phase of the park would also need to be made present in the reconstruction of Boekenberg. Hence, the tensions between the aims of the golden phase and those of the third phase would have to be alleviated in order for the park to be a cohesive whole.
Concept and methodology
The simultaneous presence of two contradicting conditions created a unique
foundation for a creative compromise. Since a plan to completely restore the 18th
century design of the park would have been unsatisfactory for the city of Antwerp,
and therefore would not have been funded, OMGEVING had to find a way to
incorporate the city's request. In this case, the question of how to introduce a new
program into such a rich historical context appeared to be essential to the
assignment. Since a physical restoration of the historical site was not desired,
OMGEVING opted to rehabilitate the park's concept. The project was thus
approached with romanticism in mind.
Due to this, the key characteristics of the romantic approach were defined, starting
with the idea of connecting humans to nature. It is important to keep in mind however
that the romantic concept of nature, although embedded in images of wild and
pristine landscapes, was usually translated into human-made gardens. In this way,
subtle natural landscapes were transformed into intense and dramatic scenes for
the pleasure of the visitor. Thus the idea of connecting humans to nature could not
have meant placing humans in a wild natural context. Rather, it meant that one is
provided with the experience of an already narrated and carefully arranged romantic
story of nature.
In this period, establishing a closer relationship with nature also meant that one
becomes in touch with their own nature. On the basis of this romantic motivation, a
greater interest appeared with regard to the intuitive and emotional response of an
individual to his or her surroundings. Such an approach originated in the late 18th
century, and was especially present in German literature under the name - “Sturm
und Drang.” The movement's reaction against the rational constraints of the
Enlightenment period shifted society's focus towards the free expression of the
extreme emotions the subject. Thus, only the intuitive expression of an artist or
designer was thought to be able to capture the true human experience of our relation
to the nature which surrounds us.
Building upon these notions, the concept behind the project of Boekenberg park
began to crystallise. Since the aim was to emphasize the human experience of
nature, the otherwise degenerated landscape had to be brought to its ideal form and
confronted with emotionally charged dramatic “events.”
The landscape:
It was essential to first understand the role which the existing pond plays within its
surrounding environment. Localised on the “edge of the forest” it gently cuts off the
old woods from the grassland on its western shore. In this way, the pond is no longer
an ornamental feature of the garden, but the keystone of two different realities which
virtually coexist on the surface of its waters. By crossing these waters one travels
between these realities.
The pond could therefore no longer stay a hard concrete vessel which simulates,
in colour, the bright blue waters of the Mediterranean sea. Instead, it was decided
that it should take the shape of a forest pond and merge into its surrounding
landscape. Also, keeping in mind that the water quality must correspond with the
current health and safety regulations, the architects at OMGEVING proposed to use
an ecological water treatment technology which in turn allowed for a new aquatic
ecosystem to be created. Unlike chemical-based systems, the ecological water
treatment technology incorporates helpful bacteria, fungi, plants, snails, and other
organisms which thrive by breaking down and digesting organic pollutants. Thus,
that which was formerly a typical bright blue swimming pool was turned into a green
mossy swimming lagoon tightly wrapped in a ribbon of reeds which reach out deep
into the park joining the other ponds.
The pavilions:
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the pond three pavilions emerge. Made from
rusted steal, their impressive forms evoke the dramatic rock formations or mountain
tops seen in 18th century landscape paintings such as those of Caspar David
Friedrich, Hans Gude, or Peter Balke. Besides the colour of rusted steal being an
earth tone which helps to keep the “natural” feeling of the park, the choice to use this
material was also dictated by the fact that the swimming facilities are closed for a
total of nine months out of the year. Due to this, the pavilions had to be designed as
independent objects that could stand on their own once they are not in use.
The pavilions' slanted rooftops which are populated by weeds and herbs add to
the overall perception that these structures were created by geological forces rather
than by human efforts. The use of green roofs in this project also has a more
pragmatic purpose as they provide a softer and more natural view from the windows
of the apartments which stand adjacent to the park.
Walking out of the woods and into the grassy plain of the park, the visitor is lead
by a bridge to a space between two of the mountain-like pavilions; the access
pavilion and the shower rooms. This pathway forms the main axis of the project.
Here, the visitor is confronted with three possible choices: to walk further onto the
grassland of the park, to enter the swimming pool area, or to leave the park through
the residential street of Van Baurscheitlaan. This primary axis is functionally crossed
by the pathway of those who intend to swim in the pond. The second axis thus
consists of a pathway which progressively leads the visitor through the changing
rooms, showers, and access gate to the pool.
Although grouped together as one entity, the three pavilions maintain separate
contained forms. The gaps between these forms, reminiscent of chasms between
cliffs, gently frame the views of the old woods on the opposite side of the water
which allow the swimming pool visitors to keep contact with the outdoors.
This chain of volumes culminates in the tallest pavilion which guards the access to
the swimming pond. Beyond the gate localised at the ground floor, the swimming
pond is restricted to a limited amount of visitors (max. 150 swimmers) which is
regulated by the current efficiency of the water filtration system. Not only does the
tallest pavilion function as a gateway to and from the pool, it also works as a
watchtower for administrative staff who have offices on the top floor. From this higher
point the staff may easily control what is in the area by way of carefully positioned
windows overlooking a rather open site, and so, the safety of the park has been
enhanced.
The plain open space of the park does not only offer more safety but is also
valuable in itself. Although it is tempting to “use” or build up every square meter of an
empty space, we must also acknowledge when one shows restraint and recognises
a space as a tangible physical object. This gives the open space a chance to
become as equally important as built volumes. In the project of Boekenberg park,
OMGEVING has taken it upon itself to go along this route and it has successfully
preserved the open space, allowing the community to take the space over and
occupy it themselves. In this way, we may wonder whether giving more control and
freedom to the public is also part of the architect's role in his or her design.
Conclusions:
From this article's focus, one may begin to see the relevance of the Boekenberg park
project in the ongoing discussion on how to build new architectural structures in an
already defined historical context. We have mainly tried to show that the
rehabilitation of a historical site does not necessarily mean the restoration of a
physical body of architecture. Rather, the architect's focus can be placed on restoring
the dissolved concept already embedded in the site's history. This approach is not
only less restrictive and allows for a more creative reinterpretation, but it is also a
way to take action whilst maintaining respect for a site's history. It can therefore
better cater to the modern needs and standards of the general public, such as,
comfort and sustainability.
