Model of the ARCAM pavilion: a ribbed aluminium shell wrapping a glass facade

ARCAM Gebouw

Project
ARCAM Gebouw
Client
ARCAM - Architectuur Center Amsterdam
Architect
René van Zuuk
Collaborators
Studio KU+
Location
Amsterdam, NL
Materials
MDF wood, acrylic sheet, 3D print (FFF, SLA), stainless steel, mixed media
Exhibition Model
1:500, 1:40

For ARCAM's 2023 theme, "Architecture for Everyone," the organization undertook a transformative project to enhance the accessibility of their exhibition gallery. Invited by Studio KU+ we contributed to this initiative by creating a series of tactile maquettes. These models are designed to offer a multisensory experience of the building’s architecture, with a special focus on accommodating visually impaired individuals. Our work involved developing two models that integrate textures, materials, audio elements, and colours to provide an immersive and inclusive understanding of the space and its context.

  • The side of the model, with the curved roof meeting the glass facade 1/6
  • The glazed ARCAM model on its white base 2/6
  • A visitor feeling the ribbed roof and the stair of the pavilion 3/6
  • Top view of the tactile site model, with dark 3D-printed volumes on a light base 4/6
  • Hands exploring the site model by touch 5/6
  • A visitor with headphones exploring the ribbed shell of the ARCAM model by touch 6/6

The Architecture Center Amsterdam (ARCAM), designed by René van Zuuk and located on the Oosterdok, is a notable landmark in Amsterdam's skyline. This compact monolithic building has three levels, that are connected vertically by a mixed-use core and visually linked by voids and mesh floors, that make all the spaces feel like they comprise a much larger entity.

While traditional architectural models emphasize visual elements, in this case we wanted to highlight and enhance the tactile and textural aspects of ARCAM. The unique volume is characterized by its aluminium skin that wraps around the three floors and creates this simple yet intricate texture with the joints between the different plates. To accurately capture this complexity, already on a digital fabrication phase the elements' scale and dimensions, including their complex joinery and connections, had to be given a high level of precision and attention. SLA 3D printing gave us the opportunity to create precise details of the aluminium skin, its patterns and shape. Using acrylic facades allowed the viewers to look inside the model, enhancing the overall experience. The North facade specifically was designed to be removable and let the visitor explore the interior elements of the building by touch, providing a multisensory understanding of the space.

Through a series of studies and close experimental consultations with Hannes, we ultimately chose a "grey scale" model and simplified many details to provide a more balanced tactile experience. Technical elements like cables, buttons, and joints were cleverly integrated into the model's design, hidden within architectural features such as voids and cores. This approach allowed us to present a seamless model where tactile sensations and colour contrasts guide users through the building's design.

Seeing by touching; we must work from new perspectives. The tactile and audio model of the building allows you to experience the pavilion using senses other than sight. You can feel, touch and experience the building through a different point of view, while immersed in the informative audio about the Marineterrein, Oosterdok and The National Maritime Museum.

The tactile model on a table in the gallery, exhibition panels behind
  • Workbench with material samples and small acrylic test pieces for the ARCAM model 1/6
  • A twisting glass-like tower being 3D-printed in a resin printer 2/6
  • A transparent 3D-printed tower rising from the printer platform 3/6
  • A curved white shell of the ARCAM building with its floors and interior visible 4/6
  • The curved roof and walls of the ARCAM model in the workshop 5/6
  • The cut-out site plan of the ARCAM model with roads and paths in white card 6/6
1:150 model of Bakstayn: a red-brick housing block with a pale roof on a plywood base