WINDMILL 
'DE BLOEM'

Commissioned by the municipality of Amsterdam and in collaboration with the Academy for redevelopment (Academie van Herontwikkeling)  we did a study on the redevelopment potential of windmill de Bloem. To this end we mapped the monumental qualities and the development potential. 

 

Since 1998, the mill is no longer in use (as a mill) and only opened occasionally for visiting. 

By sketching we have explored a number of variants for the possibilities of an extension in and around the mill. Hereby defining frameworks in relation to the available location, the (historical) context and of course the mill itself as visual element with historical and monumental value.

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At first, the sketches were limited mainly to separate extensions which had no physical connection with the mill. This is because in our perception the mill should be cherished as a stand-alone entity. Our historical analysis, however, soon showed us the pragmatic nature of mills (in general). When mills were still in use as an industrial object very often extensions or adjustments were made to realize a profitable business. The result is that, in particular, the substructure of no mill in the Netherlands is the same and thus this variety is also part of the image-defining nature of the mill. In this context we found a reason to investigate whether a construction with a physical connection to the mill is perhaps possible. The recognizable, strong (iconic) appearance of the mill above the plinth makes it possible to add some ‘noise’ without sacrificing strength. Perhaps with a sophisticated design the character even can be strengthened.