© Dennis Hambeukers 2011

The Agora Theatre (2007), designed by UN Studio, in Lelystad adds a spark of color to the grey edge of the town’s city center. The building is surrounded by drab, gray, slightly depressing buildings. The theatre is a hard, industrial, bright, colourfull, transformed-sea-container-like-cristal attempt to boost the confidence of Lelystad, that is suffering from it’s outdated city centre that was build in the 80’s. It is doubtfull however that this architectural masterpiece by UN Studio can single-handedly save the city. It made me drive all the way to Lelystad. It was well worth my while.

Ben van Berkel and Caroline Bos start their 1998 essay “Liquid politic” in the book “Move” like this:

The necessity to become a little mad is not part of an architectural education. To dare to put forward ideas, to offer up visions and to realise the unexpected requires pushing the imagination. But how crazy should we get?

The Agora Theatre is build almost ten years later and could pass as an answer to this question: pretty crazy.

© Dennis Hambeukers 2011

© 2011 Dennis Hambeukers

“No matter how he looks baby, it’s the inside that counts” [lyrics from Yosh - It's Whats Upfront That Counts].

La Defense is an office building for the IRS (Belastingdienst) and the Centre for Work and Income (CWI) that doesn’t look like much on the outside, but is a magical feast of color, light and reflection on the inside. Inside the building is a public space that is an oasis of changing colors. The façades are covered in a special foil that changes color depending on light conditions and the position of the viewer. It’s a meditative space with benches that invite you to just sit and enjoy the spatial qualities. It’s one of the most spectacular public spaces I ever saw.

© Dennis Hambeukers 2011

You can view some more pictures on my FlickR page.