KRUIT
Located in the village of Ternat, a solid block of steel obeys silently the play of bells. Glances are being exchanged, a nervous yet refined tension takes possession of the playground. The choice of a stepped, tomb-like volume as a sports center is derived from a direct negotiation with the program. Primarily dedicated to play, the sports zone is allotted the largest share in the plan and defines the highest ‘step’ in the outward presence. Secondary spaces are grouped in an elongated vein at the front. Flanked by the church and city castle, the plot imbeds itself in the village’s past. In its proximity near the Dreef, it follows the historical axis which led the count in pre-industrial times to the city center and back. The exterior appearance draws upon this history. In a materiality rather reminiscent of the world of speed and logistics, the volume manifests and nuances itself as a stack of volumes. In varying sizes of corrugated metal, a dynamic of interchangeability arises and undermines the otherwise monolithic harshness of a dense program. Stranded in time, a setup comes to mind, fixed to a concrete pedestal as the mere promise to stay.
