Maastricht is a city of history. With narrow streets, cosy squares and a skyline full of old spires. And modern architecture in Maastricht? It takes some searching, but you'll find that too in the city....
Céramique:-a neighbourhood drawn on a terrace
South of the old Wyck district is Ceramique, a modern neighbourhood with striking architecture such as Centre Céramique and the Bonnefanten. The district was built from the 1990s on the site of the former Societé Céramique pottery factory. Master builder Jo Coenen drew the master plan and he invited a whole host of top European architects for the occasion: Luigi Snozzi, the duo Cruz y Ortiz, Alvaro Siza, Mario Botta and Aldo Rossi. Unfortunately, the site had not yet been released by the pottery factory, so the architects were not allowed to enter the premises. The first ideas were therefore of necessity developed from the terrace of eatery La Bonne Femme, across the river Maas. There, right between the trees, Jo Coenen and his team had a nice view of the building site. It seems as if the architects were inspired by this sitting spot on the edge of the old city, because many buildings in Céramique refer to the architecture of Aajd Mestreech: ornate brickwork and windows like loopholes.
The Stoa, an apartment complex along the Maas by Luigi Snozzi, looks just like a giant city wall with battlements. In his design for the Bonnefanten, Aldo Rossi went the furthest in his love for medieval architecture. He wanted to reserve the most beautiful room in the museum for the old model of fortified Maastricht, because, he said, "The old inner city is Maastricht's most valuable work of art."
Tip: Aldo Rossi's dream has sort of come true after all. The model of Maastricht can be seen on the 4th floor of Centre Céramique, with a magnificent view of the old city in the background.
Bonnefanten
Old masters find their place together with modern and contemporary art in the iconic Aldo Rossi-designed building. More info on Bonnefanten
Coming to Maastricht by train? Then walk to the end of platform 3/4a for an extraordinary structure by Sybold Van Ravesteyn. This architect made his name from the 1930s onwards with sleek yet graceful designs for railways, such as stations and signal boxes. Signal box Post T - the T stands for Telegraphy - rests on two slender columns. A narrow cast-iron ship staircase gives access to the first floor, where the 10,000-kilo signalling installation hangs in a concrete box. Round portholes - another hint to shipping - let in some more daylight and make the exterior look less massive. The second floor is all glass, with unobstructed views on all sides; the signalling installation's control panel rises from the floor. The overhanging roof, which sits on top of the signal box like a black sun hat, allowed the signalman to keep an eye on the trains even when the sun was low. Not in use since 1985, the signal box was restored in 2003. For some time in the 1990s, the signal box was the studio of Maastricht artist Paul Tieman. It must have been a mighty fine workplace!
P.S.: Van Ravesteyn was a somewhat controversial architect: some say he was responsible for both the most beautiful and the ugliest building in the Netherlands!
Platform 3/4a Maastricht Station
At the end of platform 3/4a stands an extraordinary structure by Sybold Van Ravesteyn. This architect made his name from the 1930s onwards with sleek and at the same time elegant designs for the railways, such as stations and signal boxes. More info on Platform 3/4a Maastricht Station
The residents of the stately mansions in Capucijnenstraat, just behind Vrijthof, were regularly startled by night-time sirens: until 1999, the Maastricht fire station was located at the end of this street. The fire engines found a new home in a striking green building by Neutelings-Riedijk near the Noorderbrug. However, the former barracks has retained much of its character: red garage doors, alarm bells on the facade and even the slide rails for the firemen are still present in the interior. It is a wide building, because despite the limited space on the narrow street, enough space had to be left at the front: the fire engines were not allowed to collide with passing traffic when tearing away.
These days, you can enjoy lunch and dinner here at De Brandweerkantine. With its spacious terrace, this is also highly recommended in summer!
The east side of the Market Square was broken up in the 1920s to make way for the Wilhelmina Bridge landing. Two entire blocks of centuries-old houses were razed to the ground for this purpose. Only in the 1960s was the gaping hole at the market filled with a new City Office and the Waterstaat office. City guide Jo Voorst says: "Those buildings hadn't been finished yet or people were already regretting it. It just didn't fit in with the historical surroundings. Only in the 1990s did they come up with another plan." The task was not easy either: there had to be a new city office, traffic along the Maas had to go underground, there had to be plenty of parking and enough space for shops. And all in a high-profile design that simultaneously respected the old facades on the Markt.
Jo Voorst: "Liège architect Bruno Albert drew the first design, which was a kind of indoor shopping centre. However, it didn't fit the narrow streets of the city centre. Jo Coenen then adapted the plan. The sleek grey part is Albert's, Coenen drew the wavy white building." The two buildings fit together wonderfully: Bruno Albert chose grey natural stone in the same colour as the old Town Hall in the middle of the Markt, his building blending effortlessly into its surroundings. Jo Coenen's undulating facades bring dynamism to a design that would otherwise have remained very angular and hard. His building directs your attention towards the Maas, where the Mosae Forum turns into a promenade along the water.
In the interior of Mosae Forum Forum, too, the architects proceeded with respect for history. The (demolished) city office from the 1960s was furnished with furniture by the legendary architect Dom Hans van der Laan, who lived as a monk in Benedictusberg monastery near Vaals. His robust furniture has been transferred to the counters of the new city office in Mosae Forum. Waiting for a new passport, every Maastricht resident has sat on a special piece of architectural history.
The street signs in Mosae Forum Forum, such as the Kwadevliegencour, have a remarkable history. Jo Voorst: "It's a reference to Kwadevliegenstraat, one of the streets that people demolished here in the 1920s. In Maastricht people used to say 'Koej Vlegestraot'. During the French occupation around 1800, that street was suddenly called Rue des Vaches Volants: the street of flying cows. A translation error!"
Mosae Forum
An extraordinary shopping centre in the heart of Maastricht. Mosae Forum is a largely covered shopping centre in the heart of the historic city centre. An especially convenient feature of this shopping centre is its large underground car park. More about Mosae Forum
"In a city like Maastricht, every inch is steeped in history and stories." "
Joep Vossebeld
This article was written by Joep Vossebeld, artist, writer and exhibition maker. "In a city like Maastricht, every inch is steeped in history and stories. Digging out, collecting and passing on all those stories is an addiction I hope I will never get rid of..."
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