This project intends to create a sense of place within an indifferent urban environment. It situates in Zuidas, a business district in south Amsterdam. It derives from a utopian idea that draws inspiration from distanced examples such as Palais-Royal in Paris and the Rialto market in Venice. It defines an introversive realm in a neutral location surrounded by office towers yet at the same time connects its neighbouring spaces which, in current situation, are rather fragmented.

The goal of the project is to create a urban and human scale public space, which, on one hand, is connected to the surrounding fragmented spaces, on the other hand, creates its own quality and atmosphere. A space inspired to Palais-Royal in Paris, which is a part of the urban fabric, but at the same time seems isolated and introversive.

This is the solution that I am proposing in a environment that is indifferent and capital driven. It yells a consideration of human scale and everyday life in a Manhatten-like modernist’s dream which creates neutralisation and a lack of liveliness.

During the designing and research progress, I looked at examples such as the Rialto market in Venice, Palais-Royal and neolithic monuments to study how public spaces work in different situations. However, instead of making a nostalgic, rhetorical building, this project applies simple architectural languages. It has an anonymous appearance but tries to give unique qualities and characters to the space.

On the other hand, this project responses to the complicated context. Instead of being a wall-like construction or an anonymous grid system, this project adjusts itself according to the functions that it is housing, the existing environment as well as aesthetic considerations. Therefore it is also a very open plan.