Within the Wall – Reconnecting Man Made and Nature

Stone relates to the human body in a fundamental manner. The design derives from analysing the city Maastricht through its material culture. Architectural investigation in natural stone serves as an inspiration and ground for setting relations between the city, it’s inhabitants and natural environment. The process starts from an anthropological research which retraces the origin of Belgian limestone by following the river Maas and two climbers. Capturing the weight, touch, and texture of stone the research investigates how material can influence human perception and introspection. This unique relation leads further on to the exploration on how the natural and built environment can influence our spatial experience, self identity and sense of surrounding. The design binds both natural properties of materials with its crafted representation. By focusing on a tangible element the design is developed from the detail outwards, progressing from the prior detail of cavity wall to the building and urban scale. The design proposal- Ceramic Centre focusses on the walls and how they can take on fundamental qualities of the stone. Intangible as well as tangible properties of materials are used to navigate through the space of the building.