Tara Vanalderwerelt, Tibo Smeekens, Fatou Ndiaye
The parasitic pavilion, The inner landscape, The contemporary temple

Three perspectives on the Bijloke site by Tara Vanalderwerelt, Tibo Smeekens and Fatou Ndiaye. In your view – from a designer’s perspective – what could add value to our Bijloke campus or, by extension, to the Bijloke as a whole as a site for the arts?

Earlier this year, at the start of their graduation project, the interior design students were presented with this central research question, based on the focus ‘Temporary Installations’. Tara Vanalderwerelt took as her starting point the idea of the ‘Parasitic pavilion’, Tibo Smeekens the need for an ‘Inner landscape’ and Fatou Ndiaye that of a ‘Contemporary temple’.

LIENE AERTS

How do you – each through the specific lens of your project – view the interplay between the monumental, historic site and the dynamic, social reality of the campus?

TARA VANALDERWERELT

The historic buildings and courtyards form a fixed structure, but their use is constantly changing. Students, lecturers and visitors move through the site, seek each other out, retreat, work together and sometimes bump into one another by chance. Today, the existing circulation routes largely determine how one experiences the school. By superimposing my structure onto the existing circulation patterns, an extra layer of movement (and thus, automatically, of experience) is created, which literally nestles between the various buildings, studios and inner courtyards.

TIBO SMEEKENS

My bachelor’s thesis explores the history of the campus. The monumental hospital architecture, with its high ceilings, large studio spaces and long corridors, often creates a cold and impersonal atmosphere. I explore the impact this everyday environment has on overstimulated and stressed students. With my temporary installation, I aim to provide a counterbalance by creating spaces of comfort and tranquillity. As tranquillity means something different to everyone, I have developed three distinct pavilions, each offering its own spatial experience: The Silence of Water, Silent Cocoon and Silent Height. This creates a dialogue between old and new: the history of the site forms the starting point, whilst the contemporary need for tranquillity provides the answer.

FATOU NDIAYE

The site is a layered landscape full of contrasts in architecture and use. My project does not view this (historical) layering as a constraint or a sacred cow, but rather as a powerful starting point for creating new connections. With the historical context as a backdrop, I regard my installation as an invitation to come together, a missing link to prevent further fragmentation. I advocate for architecture that dares to act as a monumental beacon: a contemporary temple in the open space.

LA

How does that perspective reflect the kind of designer you want to be?

TV

I want to be a designer who first observes, tries to understand, and only then intervenes. I therefore design with a focus on what already exists, whilst at the same time creating space for what may yet emerge. The parasitic nature of the pavilion stems from this approach. The pavilion’s structure does not take over the existing architecture, but makes use of it and seeks to blend into it. In this project, I focus on connection, slowing down and encounter, but also on making space for the unexpected. A good space does not need to define everything: it invites people to discover or create their own meaning or use for it.

My project stems from my personal experience. I am easily overstimulated and know how difficult it can be to cope with this, particularly in a busy school environment. That personal question led me to a spatial solution: the creation of a place where you can take a step back from external stimuli. My exploration reflects the kind of designer I aspire to be: I hope not only to design functional or aesthetic spaces, but places that influence how people feel. I am exploring how design can coincide with moments of stillness and reconnecting with oneself. I will carry this idea forward in my continued development as a designer.

FN
Ik geloof dat de Bijlokesite verlangt naar een fysieke plek waar echte ‘community’ kan ontstaan. Ook duurzaamheid is belangrijk: de structuur is volledig demontabel, circulair en tast de historische ondergrond niet permanent aan. Het paviljoen is bewust krachtig en autonoom vormgegeven: het wil de plek van het collectieve, sacrale samenzijn claimen. Krachtige architectuur kan omkeerbaar en aanpassend van aard zijn. Tegelijk besef ik dat een uitgesproken monumentaal paviljoen ook kan overheersen. Voor mij zit de uitdaging in het vinden van een evenwicht tussen aanwezig zijn en ruimte laten aan de geschiedenis van de plek.

LA

How are you reprogramming the site’s established forms through your temporary installations?

TV
The pavilion does not seek to alter the existing site, but it does facilitate a new way of experiencing and moving through the campus. A previously functional route is thus transformed into an experience where one can slow down, look around and find a moment of solitude. The sequence of staircases and the long walkway make ‘moving around’ an experience in its own right. The perforated façade filters the view and creates varying degrees of openness and seclusion along the way. At the top, the pavilion opens up once more to the site, creating a platform that connects the school with its surroundings.

TS
With my temporary installation, I am attempting to temporarily reprogram­me the existing environment by adding a function that serves almost the opposite purpose: whilst the campus revolves around learning, working and exercise, I am creating an environment where one needn’t do anything at all. The pavilions offer room for silence, slowing down and introspection. I am not overwriting history: the monumental, austere environment remains, but is given a gentle, personal counterbalance. With their reusable materials, the pavilions can be reassembled wherever a respite is needed. Temporary architecture can be a powerful means of flexibly creating space for tranquillity in our fast-paced society.

FN

I translated my philosophy on community and sustainability into the temple concept. The basis is an open and inviting, flexible and demountable structure. It features a transparent outer shell and sliding walls that open or close the space as required. I sought to combine technical innovation with the use of tactile materials: the structure is built using a ModTruss system wrapped in removable plywood. The interior walls are constructed from polycarbonate panels that allow light to pass through. The temple functions as a dynamic beacon of light on the campus. It transforms the experience of being on the site from a fleeting transitional space into a fully-fledged community centre and place to linger.