Location
Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Size
1,200 m²
Completion
2019
In 2004, an educational pavilion was erected to honour the memory of Kamp Amersfoort. This was followed by a design for an underground exhibition space to expand this national monument.
Location
Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Size
1,200 m²
Completion
2019
Evoking Emotion Within Spaces
A large courtyard and an underground museum provide a space for people to reflect, respect and not forget the emotions prisoners felt as they were forced to enter the camp. As visitors descend into the space, the exhibit reveals prisoners’ identities and the moral injustices of the period. As they move toward the exit, the area offers a moment of reflection for visitors, a place to internalise their experience before returning to the present.
Deerns Solutions
The museum moves visitors from daylight to darkness, and back again. Deerns designed the architectural lighting to reflect this transition, focusing on enabling visitors to experience the prisoners’ emotions as they entered the camp. This was achieved by using darker tones and a dimmed atmosphere. Subtle lighting on the lower-level outer walls aids wayfinding, connecting the building’s different areas. Additionally, the cooling, heating and air handling system’s particularly compact design ensures minimal intrusion into the original space experience.
Scope of Deerns
