Rotterdam practice Neutelings Riedijk Architects have created a magical, striking structure to house their nation's repository for
audio and television recordings, The Netherlands Institute for Sound and
Vision. With a brief that included the need for tightly controlled climatic and
artificially lit storage areas, as well as creating a workable, attractive
environment for visitors and staff, Riedijk explained how they created a
structure part hidden-and-subterranean and part local landmark as a response.
The striking, stained-glass five floor façade, the result of a collaboration
with graphic designer Jaap Drupsteen, made with coloured, high relief glass
panels belied the five floors of storage securely below ground. The exterior
imagery came from video stills taken from the institute's archives linking
form and usage.
Putting the questions to Riedijk was Alex de Rijke,
founding director of dRMM and architect of the much lauded £21m
government-funded Kingsdale School project.