Gerard Extra

Machine becomes building, building becomes machine. Inside this project, the motion of the highway will be continued, and the functions will be connected. Main function of the project in a expo-function, with 40.000 square metres, lowered into the soil. The expo-volume will be cut by the E 314, the highway Antwerp – Cologne. The only way to enter the project is from the highway. The highway’s motion will be translated into a complex, spiral shape, which connects the different functions. First the expo-function, on top of the expo-roof a light-rail station, and on top of the spiral shape a conference-centre, restaurant and a hotel. The spiral itself, designed as a double spiral with an inner- and outer circle, contains parking space for more than 3000 cars. The project is situated centrally between the cities of Heerlen and Aachen, near the villages of Bocholtz ( NL ) and Richterich( D ). The Dutch-German border runs along the East-side and the border-crossing business-park Avantis is situated on the West-side. The location is marked by two motions. An existing one, the E 314. Another motion, being developed at the time, as a light-rail which will connect the cities of Heerlen and Aachen. The intersection of these two motions fix the projects exact location, the former douane-offices, next to the border-crossing. The project distinguishes itself from its surroundings. As a monolithical piece it faces the countryside. On one hand because of missing entrances, except highway and light-rail. On the other hand because of the spiral shape which rises approximately 40 metres above the “green” expo-roof. The infrastructural machine becomes a building. Infrastructure connected to the highway, the building to its surroundings. From all of this we receive a compact building mass, including a complex program, which will be absorbed by its environment. 

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