Slender House and Hanging Chamber by Studio Frank Havermans
The Besiendershuis in Nijmegen, Netherlandsa medieval toll home dating from 1525, it was built in the Lower Rhine Gothic style. The building serves as a residence for artists, writers and musicians and hosts cultural events throughout the year. While its historic exterior presents a relatively quiet presence, its interior supports an active program of creative production and exchange. On the occasion of the building’s 500th anniversary, Frank Havermans Studio extends this cultural activity to the surrounding urban space through two temporary wooden structures: The Hanging Chamber and The Slender House.
Located facing east and west facades of the Besiendershuis, the two structures frame the historic building while introducing new spaces for artistic production and public events. THE installation it creates a direct link between the existing heritage building and contemporary urban activity, allowing cultural programs previously contained within the house to extend outdoors. Together, the structures form an architectural intervention that adds a new layer to the building and the city environment.
The two facilities are positioned according to the existing sight lines and elevation levels around the Besiendershuis. From a distance, their wooden frames may look alike scaffoldingbut their structural independence and specific configurations make them specially designed architectural elements rather than temporary supports. Both structures are made of plywood, with their wooden frames referencing the construction of medieval log houses. Their geometry also creates a visual connection to the nearby Nijmegen Bridge, which is visible from The Slender House.
The Besiendershuis is one of the buildings that remained standing after the Second World War image ©William Moore
Two wooden structures extend Nijmegen’s historic Besiendershuis
The Slender House occupies the site of a former house that was attached to the Besiendershuis before it was demolished in the early 20th century. Its removal revealed the Gothic facade of the historic Lower Rhine building, while the garden wall of the Besiendershuis retains the contours of the previous structure. Studio Frank Havermans places the new city studio above this existing garden wall, creating a physical relationship between the absent historic building and the contemporary intervention. Facing the Waal River, the elevated structure acts as a temporary workspace for artists and writers invited by the Besiendershuis or selected through an open call. Occupying the footprint and spatial footprint of the former home, The Slender House introduces a new use to a space shaped by its architectural history.
The hanging chamber is placed on the eastern facade of the Besiendershuis, where it rests structurally against the existing wall. Its design refers to the two historic hanging chambers preserved inside the building, while translating their spatial principle into an external structure. The installation acts as a podium of the urban street directly connected to the public space surrounding the Besiendershuis. Located in a narrow, multi-level area usually used for bicycle and car parking, the structure creates a special environment for musicians, artists and writers to present their work. The adjacent square functions as an informal amphitheater, extending the building’s cultural program into the city.
The two structures introduce new spaces for artistic production, performance and public interaction while maintaining a visual relationship with the historic architecture. Their plywood construction and wooden frame refer to the building traditions of Nijmegen’s medieval architecture, while their modern forms create a clear contrast to the Besiendershuis. Rather than replicating the historic building, the installation works through adjacency and contrast. The existing structure remains the visual and architectural center, while The Hanging Chamber and The Slender House extend their program into the surrounding urban space. The intervention connects the building’s architectural heritage with its ongoing cultural use, adding new spaces for artists and audiences, while contributing another layer to the site’s history.
the Besiendershuis and facilities form a new architectural setting | image ©René de Wit
the installation can be viewed from all sides, adding a new level to the architecture of the city | image ©René de Wit
the Besiendershuis appears wrapped in scaffolding, but the structures are independent | image ©René de Wit
the installation shows how contemporary interventions can engage with cultural heritage | image ©René de Wit
the Slender House provides a temporary workspace for writers and artists | image ©René de Wit
the Slender House rests on the facade of the Lower Rhine Gothic Besiendershuis | image ©René de Wit
the Slender House staircase is built into the existing garden wall | image ©René de Wit
the Hanging Chamber is based on the two historic hanging chambers inside the Besiendershuis | image ©René de Wit
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design model The Hanging Chamber
The Slender House design model
raft
project information:
name: The Hanging Chamber & The Slender House
designer: Frank Havermans Studio | @studio.frank.havemans
location: Nijmegen, Netherlands
curator: Jan-Wieger van den Berg, Jade Kerste
structural engineer: Pieter Pollemans
manufacturer: Frank Havermans Studio, Koos Schaart Adventures
supported by: Municipality of Nijmegen, The Mondrian Fund, Cuppens+Zn, Gerrits Glas en Schilderwerken, Trimetal
photographers: René de Wit, William Moore
designboom received this project from us DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. See more project submissions from our readers here.
editor: Christina Vergopoulou | designboom
