 |
De Uithof, showcase of modern architecture
|
 |
| Address |
Universiteitsweg 98
|
| Architect |
Erick van Egeraat (EEA)
|
| Year |
2003 - 2005
Official start of the construction: Feb. 3 2004.
 
© Hans van Leeuwen |
| Use |
The building was built to serve as
a teaching facility for medical, biomedical students as well
as students of health sciences and primary care. Teaching
programmes started after the summer of 2005.
|
| Awards |
Rietveld Award, 2007
|
| Relevant websites |
• architectuur.org
• archined
|
| Opened |
Nov. 21st 2005 officially opened by
Maria
van der Hoeven, Minister of Education. A slideshow of
the opening can be found here.
A videoregistration, produced by 'Communicatie
en Voorlichting, directie Onderwijs en Opleidingen, UMC Utrecht' is kept at
Surfnet, to be accessed here.
 © MTM
2006 |
| Sq. metrage |
| 14.500 m2 |
| Cost |
| € |
| Contractors |
Boele Van Eesteren / Wessels Zeist
|
| Landscape designer |
| |
| General information |
The building has
a square groundplan of 45 x 70 meters. The construction partly
covers the original auditoria of the University Medical Centre.
Three cone-shaped shafts provide the penetration of natural
light into the centre of the building. The architect has
created several open spaces in the central area of the building
to stress the openness and transparency. These open areas
also contribute to a hybrid ventilation system. Additionally,
The mass of the concrete floors of the building
is used for the buffering of heat, thus integrating the
installations with the building itself.
The building consists of a number of colloquium rooms, large
areas for individual or group study activities and a restaurant
known as 'Kroonluchter' (chandelier) named after the impressive
work of art that was created by the Welsh-born London artist
Cerith Wyn Evans. The chandelier was brought into the building
on Oct. 28th 2005. The light pulsates with various intensities.
 © pictures
chandelier:
Communicatie en Voorlichting, directie Onderwijs en Opleidingen,
UMC Utrecht
The chandelier is part
of a series of three works of conceptual art. The other two are
less prominent: one is a neon sign attached to the wall of the
adjacent building saying 'In
which something happens all over again for the very first time' and
the other is a work of sound, a digital composition by Florian
Hecker. The work of sound can be heard on the third floor of
the building where it repeats itself in long intervals. The works
of art are meant to be stimuli for the senses to arouse curiosity
and food for thought.
It took untill May 3rd 2007 before the works of art were officially
presented.
  |
| The name of the building |
Abraham Albert Hijmans van den Bergh
(1869 - 1943) was born in Rotterdam. After graduating at
Leiden University, he wrote his dissertation at the same
university on the toxic nature of urine and the theory of
auto-intoxication. After his Ph.D his became assistant to
prof. Nolen who held the chair for internal medicine at Leiden.
After returning to Rotterdam, Hijmans van den Bergh became
director of the 'Coolsingel' Hospital. From 1912 - 1918 he
held a medical chair at Groningen University. From there
he moved to Utrecht where he was appointed to the chair of
internal medicine which he occupied for twenty years.
Hijmans van den Bergh was tthe first to publish a textbook
on internal medicine in the Netherlands. He pioneered in
the area of haemoglobin derivatives: porphyryn and bilirubin.
The reaction needed for the establishment of the bilirubin
content of blood still bears the name of Hijmans van den
Bergh. Hijmans van den Bergh is considered to be an outstanding
example of a scientist who was able to apply the findings
of fundamental research in clinical practice. |
|
| These digitalia are best
viewed in Century Gothic. |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
