From the Low Countries to the 'roof of the world'. From capitalist democracy to semi-autonomous province. The Tibetan culture is being pressurized by the Chinese attempts to assimilate it. The principal aim of my final year design for Dutch representation in Tibet is to counterbalance this Chinese pressure. Programmatically, the plan seeks to strengthen the Tibetans' sense of self-esteem and to make tourists visiting their country aware of the political situation there. A Dutch embassy in Lhasa would be the pre-eminent acknowledgement of Tibet's status as an autonomous culture though it would be difficult to justify its presence to the Chinese. Not so a consulate in Lhasa - which is why I have chosen this as a cover for the embassy.

The 'consulate' has great physical presence as a building. I have deliberately chosen to site it on the controversial Potala Square, a 'Chinese' square whose construction required demolishing a Tibetan residential quarter. It is often the setting of Chinese parades and Tibetan demonstrations. The design is projected opposite the artwork symbolizing the 'peaceful liberation' of Tibet and national 'unity'.

The 'embassy' is to act as a network in the city. Tourist 'stations' are projected along the Lingkhor, an important pilgrim's route for Tibetans, at sites where Tibetan culture is manifest. This is to encourage Tibetan enterprise by capitalizing on the burgeoning tourist industry in Tibet, with the aim of developing this industry in the interests of the Tibetan population.

Looking for all the world like a freestanding villa, the consulate symbolizes Dutch sovereignty. This 'Dutch' cube is modelled after a typical Tibetan trapezium-shaped building. Six volumes have been hewn from this cube and placed in the city along the Lingkhor, where as 'stations' they each have their own duty to perform. The Tibetan flag, which is forbidden in China, has great symbolic significance for an autonomous Tibet and so serves as an underlay for the network of stations. Though projected at seemingly random spots, Tibetans who are aware of its presence see it as an unequivocal reference to their autonomy.

The physical link between these stations out in the city and the 'base' is emphasized beyond doubt by an attunement of materials and construction. Hopefully the Dutch representation will one day manifest itself as a single entity, openly as an embassy. It is not a typical Dutch building, but not typically Tibetan either; a trade-off between the two cultures informs the design. So it is much more than four walls and a roof for a clutch of Dutch officials in a foreign country.

Place of education: Arnhem Academy of Architecture
Specialization: architecture
Tutors: Harmen van de Wal, Ralph Brodrück, Annemariken Hilberink, Wim Korvinus