Rani Nijst

⁃ We live among fabrics. They provide us with warmth and protection. They are an expression of our identity. We no longer dwell on the role of textiles in our lives. The same phenomenon arises in the world of architecture. Because architecture essentially revolves around a form of permanence, many designers shun this trend-sensitive subject. Anni Albers regards textiles even as the antithesis of architecture. The production of textiles is often known as a women's business, and has therefore acquired this gender-specific connotation. In my thesis I try to expose the phenomenon of 'textiles in architecture' and to pay the necessary attention to women from the discipline who have remained unheard for too long.

⁃ Driven by my fascination for fashion, I made a project that connects to my thesis and thus tells a story about textiles, crafts and femininity. Maastricht has a rich history as a textile city with its high-quality linen and leather. It is also at this location, where the Jeker meanders so that an island is created, that the first forms of settlements arose: the water mills. The project continues the history of this existing heritage and thus tries to translate the tradition of textile making into modernity.

⁃ Architecturally the project concerns a fully self-reliant densification model that offers an alternative to the classic ribbon development. The model is conceived as a mass that molds itself to the island, with respect for the existing patrimony and the landscape. By building less spread out, you save space that is can be used for growing hemp. This air-purifying plant is used in the making of textile, and as a building material for this project. 

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