The Moveables
The Moveables is an interior on wheels designed especially for the historic military engineering hangar of Fort Vijfhuizen – a UNESCO world heritage site and one of forty-two forts in the defense line of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
The Moveables, a collection architectural objects and furniture pieces set on wheels, provides a flexible and multipurpose interior for the culture and arts centre. Allowing a huge variety of configurations, The Moveables invite its proprietors and users to become creatively interactive with the space. By introducing archetypical exhibition elements of white pedestals set in wheels, rather than transforming the historical hangar into a white cube, The Moveables propose a light hearted tongue-in-cheek reference to so many, bland and unremarkable contemporary art and exhibition centers around the world. Suggestive of playful construction games, jigsaw puzzles and computer games such as Tetris, the individual elements can be either grouped together to form new volumes, or can be placed separately within the space, to create a number of functional islands. The yellow details accentuating each of the elements, suggests the idea of a ray of light cast onto the volumes. As such the obscure interior becomes bright through the white objects and highlighted by the yellow details.
An interior that can be shaped to the demands and desires of the moment. The objects can be placed into configurations that can either host events or facilitate an exhibition. Even the six industrial lamps hanging from the ceiling can be adjusted in heights by ways of a simple motorized system.
The geometrical and clear-cut shapes and volumes of The Moveables, contrasts the historical and rustic setting. It is as if brand-new equipment has been rolled into the old hanger, waiting to be discovered, played with and utilized.
The yellow details suggest the sunlight. It is as if, all of a sudden, within the obscure interior of the hangar array of light has been captured. Highlighting each of the individual Moveable, the yellow feature and character and intimacy, as we are given a view inside each structure.
Each movable combines an array of functions. The two stages that host the wardrobe and storage can be combined, juxtaposed or used to re-organize the interior. Similarly, the reception desk is not only a welcome desk near the entrance, its also a counter with shelves for information documents and folders and workplace for two persons. The wall is next to an exhibition wall or projection screen also a divider and has bookshelves. Furthermore, all of the objects can be rolled outside to create an outdoors setting to attract visitors passing by in the beautiful surrounding landscape.