Rotterdam - Groot IJsselmonde
In 1975 the building and the garden were completed. In this environment Lucien den Arend used the Japanese Zen garden tradition as his inspiration.
The surrounding spaces are offices, waiting room and restaurant. The open space was actually too small (Ø803cm) to be used for repose, and being observable from every room around it, it was not very attractive for that purpose. It was clearly planned by Architect Bister as the focal point, as well as a source for daylight, for the surrounding quarters.
The very first thing that came to Lucien den Arend's mind was to use the round hole in the building to reveal the earth beneath the building. He did so by showing the earth's crust disappearing under the edge of the floor which Lucien den Arend extended into the space. To support this environmental theme he added elements from our earth: natural stones, water and a human made element - an artifact. Under the extension of the floor is tube lighting which automatically switches on in darkness. This effect seems to lift the building up and lights the surface of the concrete crust.
1973-75 - earthscape - stainless steel, rocks, concrete and water, Police Station Groot-IJsselmonde, Rotterdam NL