An image of my identity as an architect is often formed while it is based on only one or a couple of my works: a reason to present my work wider and more accessible.
Moreover: The past has pushed aside the future, the more reason for a flashback in a series of images, not necessarily in chronological order.

The ambition was to see my work as a contribution to the built history, which can be traced back to local traditions, but also proceeds to the years beyond my last day. I preferred to sketch the work of old architects and for my carpentry traditional tools were used. For painting I used a brush and oil paint and in my designs I wanted the cultural history of the site to be continued.
But architecture cannot be anything but contemporary. Legislation, functional programme, and building techniques are the order of the day, indeed. Even fashion has influence, inadvertently and against my will. Yet, you want to innovate, deliver a design with character, an original shaped after the person of the principal and the designer, a building or a piece of furniture that may last longer than I lived.

Form as the principal motive, the nowadays so popular ‘design’, did not have my interest. The point is that the implied significance must be read from the building, whether this is in the technical or the functional field, in the limiting conditions of the commission, the personality of the principal, or the surroundings of the building site.

The significance which time adds by means of wear, renovations and alteration in use, is more than welcome. I was inclined to use a worn bluestone doorstep or a rusty wall anchor again. Even the sloppy work of successive curators of the Fries Museum or of the buyers of written-off post offices contributed to a, however sad, history which can be read from the building.

The sight of towns and villages pictures the cultural history of our society, inherent and bound: most beautiful where various striking individuals show themselves in their social coherence, on the building alignments, on a street or a square. If a house looks at the public space and landscape, and apparently enjoys the sight, the space, in turn the surroundings will enjoy seeing that house.

Whenever individuality is suppressed by building regulations and zoning plans and where series of houses hide behind hedges and parking places, the significance of architecture is destroyed.

Your work is part of your daily life and is determined also by your relation to people and things. Therefore, my family, our house and farmyard, the landscape of the Frisian salt marshes and shallow waters, my furniture and my boats, our poultry and our (Belgian) horse Bella, who died in 2011, illustrate this website.

Our built environment is constantly renewing itself, but fortunately also a largely lasting self portrait of an age-old society. Architecture provided in spots an optimistic image of a culture with self-respect. I hope to have contributed to this but: Alas I’m ready now.

Credits

My building plans, naturally, were developed in cooperation; many others contributed considerably.
For the Waalkens residence and Gallery I worked together with my friend and colleague Thon Karelse. Anoul Bouwman contributed considerably to the extension of the Fries Museum. Haiko Meijer worked with inspiration on the rowing club “De Hunze”. My associate Doeke van Wieren was fellow architect of many plans, among them the town hall of Zuidhorn, a residence in Gaastmeer, a block of flats around the Karperkuil in Hoorn, three glass housing towers in Emmen, the Tagrijn in Hellevoetsluis and together we renovated the old mill “De Eendracht” in Burdaard, a fresh new start for our office. Piet Gorter designed the beautiful nursery in Crystalic in Leeuwarden and the houses on an underground car-park in Hellevoetsluis. And Anne Dorenbos designed an extension to a house in Zuidhorn. Later, they all became independent architects. Bauke Tuinstra, my successor, completed the nature-museum on Ameland. Many others took care of the adequate realization of our plans. Herman Nijholt took responsibility for technical quality and contracts. Rob Wagter made nearly all models, built several works of art and worked as a carpenter for the office. For years Alex van der Meulen was the prop and stay of the administration.

The last few years my work was continued and completed under the name of GDA in Burdaard. The architect’s firm is now called TWA.

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My portrait was painted by Gerrit Breteler in 2007.
I converted the Drascombe Gig hull with son Berent into a cabin cruiser, which we sailed on the Waddenzee and in Scandinavia and Scotland.

After the move of the architect’s firm to Burdaard it became quiet on our yard. We would like to see the vacant studios in use and therefore invite artists to work and live there for a period of time, with or without partner. We think of painters, sculptors, designers, composers or writers and others.

There are two buildings, together ± 140 m², a former “setterhok” (a shed where seed potatoes were stored in winter, with an attic) and a new built studio with a loft, the two connected by a glass gallery. In the big shed of the farm there is room available for sculpting. Use of the workshop and the yard might be discussed.

There is a shower, a lavatory and a simple, equipped kitchen (basic). And furthermore one double and two single beds, spare mattresses, tables, desks, chairs and works of art which can be put away, if desired. Many potted plants are kept there in winter; there is central heating and wireless internet. Our washing machine is at your disposal.

The Lauwersmeer (National Park) and the Waddenzee (Unesco world heritage site) are within cycling distance and so are the ferries to the Frisian Isles of Ameland and Schiermonnikoog.
There is a supermarket in our village, Oosternijkerk.
The fortified old town of Dokkum is 8 kilometres from here. Public transport is available from Dokkum.
Plenty of parking space in our yard, used too by our fowl.
Privacy is guaranteed.
The working and living quarters have a full view of the fields on the saltings of Dongeradeel.

We ask a contribution to the costs of energy, maintenance and insurance of €100 p.p. per week + €25 for a second or third person.

Be our guest, but bring your own bed linen, and when you leave, please clean and tidy the rooms. You might leave behind a specimen of the work created here.

For more pictures, see page 12.

Adres:
Els Daan ‘Donia Sathe’
Ropsterwei 5, 9137 RH, Oosternijkerk, Friesland, Netherlands
Tel. +31 (0)519 242 262
E-mail: cemdaan@xs4all.nl