Inside Outside collaborated with the architects from the conceptual phase onwards, studying the way in which movement runs from the Spree River and the city, through the park, over the sidewalks into the building; and how the views from the building over the city and river could optimally be translated by the use of colour, light, finishing materials and the thinning or placement of planting around the building. These studies, and the requirements for darkening, light-filtering, sun-reflecting and acoustically absorbent elements along the building’s glass façades, lead to our proposal for a series of curtains.
One set of curtains solves glare and reflectivity issues in the offices and covers three façades. In the multipurpose room, Inside Outside produced two large woven-to-size linens that respond to the required light and sound program, while emphasizing the connection and reflection of the exterior into the interior space. The organic shape of the large scale image and the vivid colours (lime and cream; black and white), cause the curtains to form a strong counterpart to the square shaped, aluminium building. The curtains are clearly visible from a distance. It was the first time that Inside Outside sought to have our own cloth produced, in collaboration with the Textile Museum in Tilburg. It was in Holland that the design was woven in a classic jacquard technique, creating a double-sided, damask linen for our own embassy. The lime green refers to the spring leaves of the acacias in the adjacent park, the angel root to Holland’s moist soil and vegetable garden tradition, the horizontal lines to Holland’s flat and spacious horizons.
Team Inside Outside: Petra Blaisse with Anky Adriaanse, Marnix van den Broek, Irene Curulli, Simao Fereira, Marieke van den Heuvel, Mathias Lehner, Peter Niessen.
