Architectural prostheses give new life to the remnants of the former straw cardboard factory 'De Toekomst II' in Scheemda, exploiting the process of decay as a quality.

A prosthesis is something that is made to measure and has no meaning without the person wearing it. The same holds for these architectural prostheses, which cannot function on their own. They too owe their raison d'être to their bearer, in this case the ruin. Without restoring or renewing its walls the architectural prostheses provide a new dimension in use as well as structural stability. They lead the visitor, as an urban explorer of sorts, to exceptional places that before then were unreachable.

The body weight of the architectural prostheses is reduced by using synthetic materials, which rules out archaeological obfuscation should the prostheses ever deteriorate. The real supporting structure is made of fibre reinforcement and the skin of translucent synthetic materials. At night the architectural prostheses will shine like magic lanterns in the carcass of the ruin, ruling out the need for additional area lighting. They alone will facilitate everything that is needed for the ruin's new use.

When this study began, the former straw-cardboard factory 'De Toekomst II' at Scheemda, in the north-east of the country, was one of the Netherlands' most extensive ruins. The ensemble, whose name means 'The Future', lies close to the Blauwe Stad, a development that has failed as a residential area but has done much for the local tourist industry. Round the lake (Oldambtmeer) small enterprises have joined forces in an association (Het Blauwe Lint) that targets tourism. It is from the perspective of this burgeoning sector that the new use presents itself, namely a platform for culture and tourism. Among the assemblage of new facilities are a climbing tower with a crow's-nest, a restaurant, and a courtyard for cultural events ranging from traditional market fairs to dance parties, all drawing on the network of local entrepreneurs.

Based on an analysis of stable, usable walls the intervention zone with its prostheses is located at the heart of the ruin. A fringe of green will emerge where deterioration is allowed to proceed, with dismantled trusses 'displayed' as artefacts and where vegetation is more likely to end up protecting the ruin than destroying it.

With no signage on site the architectural prostheses will work as 'bait'. The journey of discovery will ultimately lead along stairs and a gallery to the entrance to the restaurant. The restaurant prosthesis is draped over two walls of the carcass and makes no direct contact with the floor of the ruin, thereby making space for the characteristic and spontaneous growth of vegetation. Vertical openings in this prosthesis contribute to the living conditions of this 'underworld' but most of all to the view of it from the restaurant. The compound roof structure connects and lies atop the ruin walls. Floor slabs slung from this structure give additional compressive force and thus stability to the received ruin walls.

The former chimney becomes a climbing tower with at its apex a 'crow's-nest prosthesis'. Tie rods pull the 'cork' down by way of the crow's nest, thereby creating additional compressive force and lending stability to the chimney. The courtyard is an entirely open space for a welter of outdoor festivities. Prostheses on the outer side, including a porter's unit, a locker area, toilets and an exhibition alley, mean that the courtyard is relatively easy to use. The strategy of turning what used to be an indoor space into an outdoor one is in chime with the way ruins are experienced. On the upper floor above the ruin walls, the row of prostheses combine as a platform of places wrapped round the courtyard.
This architectural-prosthetic intervention, rather than bringing out the ruin's disabilities, lends emphasis to the new opportunities for collaborative ventures, preserving the silhouette much longer instead of every detail. Deterioration is allowed and vulnerability is a quality!

Place of education: AvB Arnhem | Specialization: architecture | Tutors: Eric de Leeuw, Wim Korvinus, Annemariken Hilberink, Ralph Brodrück