Shie 2.0

| Jan Konings (*1966) | Ton Matton (*1964) | Lucas Verweij (*1965)

 

 

Within the context of its forward planning project, Nederland 2030, the Dutch National Spatial Planning Agency commissioned Schie to come up with an innovative, unconventional vision of the Netherlands in the year 2030, full of new emotions, provocations and uncertainties. The "Randstad Club" team was set up specially for this project. "Schie Power" is a plea for increased, sustainable, consumption, based on arguments thrown up by the Club. It envisages a larger role for government in its capacity as formulator and guardian of environmental laws. The spatial consequences of unbridled consumerism have been translated into five spatial strategies aimed at achieving a greater variety of residential habitats. Commenting on this new urban-world-global city phenomena, Lucas Verweij observes : "A city used to be a place which had been granted a city charter, but that concept no longer works. Now one thinks more in terms of size, population figures and commerce". As with Maxwan, quantity has taken on a new meaning in the work of Schie. Schie is now researching urban flow phenomena such as traffic jams, which they argue offer the opportunity for rethinking how we may more profitable and enjoyably spend leisure time in our cars and on the motorways. All of their projects are serious urban interventions, but as this example suggests, they are also playful, even a bit cheeky. The "Schie Power" advertising flyer which simulates supermarket flyers, for example, offers wonderful and inventive ecological solutions to urban design problems without being too heavy handed. Part of the flyer, the spatial designs produced for Schie by NL Architects, features a haltingly clever solution for housing on a series of "wandering islands" which because of erosion and other natural forces, actually move about in the ocean. A typical solution might try and stop the erosion of the island, before abandoning it altogether. Instead, Schie and NL proposed that rows of nomadic houses be built on a grid system, and as the island loses land mass on one side, the row of houses situated there are leapfrogged over the other houses by truck to the other side, thus formin the leading edge of housing as it follows wherever the land leads. Not only are the natural movements of the island and ocean undisturbed, but sooner or later everyone will have beach front property. Ecology and the market are both satisfied.

Michael Speaks

 

 

"Autarkisch Huis"
Hoeksche Waard, Hollande, 1998

shie 2.0
shie 2.0
shie 2.0

Commissioned by Architecture International Rotterdam (AIR-Zuidwaarts) Schie 2.0 investigated the qualities and possibilities of the Hoeksche Waard. Schie 2.0 developed an autarchic house for the area. The self-sufficient house makes use of contemporary environmentally friendly techniques, therefore, without the use of cables, conduct-pipes and sewerage the house is free from existing infrastructures. The home is situated within fields by a creek, and has a stipulation that the banks of the creek are being re-naturalised. Creeks are the bearers of the main ecological structures in the Hoeksche Waard. With the density of one house per hectare, there will be, with every house built, 100 meters of creek banks laid out as nature reserves. In this way the building of houses can help the development of the main ecological structures. By making the lots longer and narrower, increasingly more homes can be built. The natural bank will continually expand. Like a densifying network of stepping-stones the main ecological structures will be realised. A total of 17.500 homes will find a place within this natural countryside.

 

7 straatstukken voor Almere
Almere, Hollande, 1999

shie 2.0
shie 2.0
shie 2.0
shie 2.0

Schie 2.0 were asked to develop a proposal for the application of art in the newly developed vinex-district "Between the waterways" in Almere by the Centre for Contemporary Art, Almere and "The Pavilions". Schie 2.0's proposal radically violates the lay out of the streets at seven sites within the district, at the same time keeping them publicly accessible.

For the pieces of street they have selected streets that :

- Have an extensive and unchangeable profile.

- Both sides of the street have privately owned homes.

- No intersecting bicycle routes.

- In a state ready for development.

The collages show impressions of the pieces of street : De Heidestraat (Heather Street) ; De Boomgaardstraat (Orchard Street) ; De Bosstaat (Forest Street) (for this proposal there is a winter and a spring collage) ; De Blauwe gietvloerstraat (Blue Cast Floor Street) ; De Heuvelstraat (Hill Street).

 

Regelland
"Holland is a well regulated country",
1999

shie 2.0
shie 2.0

The Dutch society can be characterized by a large amount of rules and regulations. The amount is still growing. Everything is perfectly organized and well-thought out, nothing can happen to you. This over regulation leads to a lack of freedom and makes you passive. You do not feel responsible because of too many regulations, which is bad for inventivity. Negotiations with fellow-citizens slowly stops, everyone sticks to the rules. In the end this will undermine society. Those who want to live in freedom have to take responsibility for their own behaviour. Schie 2.0 tries to counterbalance over regulation and opens the discussion on freedom and rules. "Holland is a well regulated country" is a project of Schie 2.0 and was exhibited in "De Appel" Amsterdam (01-99/03-99) as a part of "Unlimited NL" , curated by Hu Hanrou. After "De Appel" it was exhibited in political cafe "De Balie" in Amsterdam (04-99/06-99) as part of the serie of lectures "de orderverstoorders" (the desturbers of order).

 

Jan Konings (1966)
Design Academy Eindhoven / Man & Living

Ton Matton (1964)
Technische Universiteit Delft

Lucas Verweij (1965)
Design Academy Eindhoven / Man & Public Space

shie 2.0shie 2.0

1998 — Création de Shie 2.0 à Rotterdam : fusion de Buro Schie (1991) et Konings & Beij (1991)

Principaux projets et réalisations

1999 — "Het trouwplein" Krimpen, aménagement d'une place (projet) ; "Regelland - Holland is a well regulated country" expositions / conférences ; "Snacklocket IJburg" parc écologique (projet) ; "7 straatstukken voor Almere" Almere, installation (projet) ; "Learning from Berkel Roderijs" programme Vinex (projet)
1998 — "Autarkisch Huis" Hoeksche Waard, maison écologique (projet)
1997 — "Schie 2030" prospective (projet) ; "Zontlewijzer 52°09'NB - 5°22'0L*" installalion
1996/1995 — "Ranstad Stadsplattegrond" interprétation cartographique de la Ranstad (réalisée)

Expositions récentes

1999 — "Unlimited N L" de Appel, Amsterdam ; "Regelland in de Balie" De Balie, Amsterdam ; "Taiwan Holland Festival" Glasshouse, Taipei, Taiwan
1998 — "Planologische Hallucinaties" NAI, Rotterdam
1997 — "Nine+One" 10 dutch architects" NAI, Rotterdam ; "Rotterdam Designprijs", Kunsthal, Rotterdam ; "De Nieuwe Kaart van Nederland" Musiekcentrum Vredenburg, Utrecht

Bibliographie sélective

1999 — Architect (mars et mai) ; MetropolisM (avril) ; Carp (avril)
1998 — "Holland is a well regulated country" de Toolpub - Dutch mountains
1997 — "Nine+One" 10 dutch architects" catalogue de l'exposition, éditions NAI, Rotterdam