Licht in the Lucht (Lights in the Air) is a project that aims to movet the current entrance to the Oude Kerk,the oldest church in Amsterdam, to the church tower and to increase the attractiveness of the Oudekerksplein square and of the entrance.
In view of the functional and representative-symbolic requirements,given the regulations concerning the
oldest church in Amsterdam and taking into account the relatively small area in front of the tower and the presence of trees, we opted for an ephemeral solution of several distributed elements (as opposed to an unique structure.
The project consists of a series of cloud elements distributed in the area in and around the entrance to the Oude Kerk.
They consist of a shell of Corian (a composite of acrylic polymer and alumina trihydrate) with inside colored LED lights. During the day when the LEDs are turned off, the elements will be white, while at dusk they will lit up with different colors.
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We have designed three types of elements:
1) Floating elements, suspended in the air by ropes or supported by poles placed on the ground
2) Bench elements(with a greater thickness of the shell)
3) Infopoint elements, with space for information material about the activities of the Oude Kerk for tourists and passers-by.
The elements vary in size from 80 cm to 4 m, with thicknesses of 25-40 cm.
The advantage of a series of scattered elements is that they can be distributed over the entire Oudekerksplein. A few will be placed where the main streets meet the square to lead the way and they will become more numerous in proximity of the tower, thus the new entrance. On the facade of the tower,
above the arch, the largest and most spectacular element will be hung, while a number of floating and bench elements will be placed inside of the new entrence,guiding visitors to the interior of the Oude Kerk.
The ticket office, an extremely simple construction made of aluminum and glass, will be placed in an oblique manner along the inner wall of the tower and and will host a cloud suspended and 'caged' behind the glass, creating an exciting visual effec
The scattered elements are the optimal solution for a number of reasons:
a) functionality: they are well suited to the irregular shape of the square and can be placed in the spaces between the trees, street lamps and buildings, without obstructing the view of
the church and at the same time maintaining a strong iconographic impact. They will also have an 'advertising' function, attracting visitors and informing them thanks to the infopoint elements, which can accommodate posters, maps and more.
b) flexibility: the number of elements may vary depending on the logistical and economic requirements. Furthermore, the elements are not fixed and can be easily removed without any damage to the church or the surrounding buildings.
c) symbolism: the suspended lights will guide visitors to the inside of the church by creating an artistic and spiritual atmosphere in perfect harmony with the character of the Oude Kerk and the Kunst van Vandaag project.
We believe that the solution Licht in the Lucht is optimal because it is not reduced to a single object, but
is an artistic-architectural strategy aimed at enhancing the activities of the Oude Kerk and more generally
of the city of Amsterdam.
Reinstatement of the entrance to the Oude Kerk in the church tower;
upgrade of the Oudekerksplein
