Courtyard garden Veenkoloniaal museum
redevelopment public space, Municipality of Veendam, 2003 (ARCADIS)
As part of the redevelopment of the centre of the small city of Veendam the Interior of the local museum is refurbished. The enclosed carré-shaped space in the heart of the nineteenth century building forms the basis for a simple design. It’s main feature is a rectangular and elevated ‘veentuin’ (peat garden), intersected with an elevated walkway. The garden refers to the surroundings of Veendam and the focus of the museum on regional landscape history. The historic ship that is exhibited in the courtyard is the only disruptive element in the orthogonal design and is deliberately placed in a different angle. By using high quality and classical materials such as granite, squoia-bricks and classical fences the connection with the classical architecture of the building is strengthened.
