Following an extensive period of regeneration, Fort Diermerdam, a key spot on the defense line of Amsterdam, was recently appointed as a UNESCO Heritage Site and subsequently became a venue for visitors from all over the world. The most recent project on the site is that of the construction of the Puur Pavilion by the practice of Emma Architekten.
The spiral shape of the structure is inspired by the surrounding landscape and the very place on which it is built was the base of a soldier’s shelter, uncovered during the excavations. The flowing shape appears to raise itself from the ground as it curves upwards, combining a contemporary form with its historical past as it follows the lines of a fortification, a lookout post within its wooden shingled walls. The material of wood was chosen firstly to comply with an Dutch law which states that any structure within range of cannon fire must be of wood, and secondly because wood ages beautifully adopting a character of its own. Large eye like openings which resemble gun bays, once again remind us of the history of the site.
The three levels of the pavilion accommodate a bar, an event room, kitchen and exhibition space, all topped off by a rooftop terrace which looks out onto the fortress of Pampas Island. The absence of sharp angles within the design conveys an air of positivity for the future through a strong sense of the past.
