Project Spaarndammerhart | 2016-2020

Martijn Sandberg has created an integrated artwork for the gateways and the floor of the new building project ‘Spaarndammerschoollocatie’ in the Spaarndammer district, Amsterdam. The artwork is an integral part of the building complex Spaarndammerhart by Korth Tielens Architecten, Marcel Lok Architect MLA, and DS Landschapsarchitecten. The house numbers are also by Martijn Sandberg and function as a sculptural element on both opposing street facades of the complex and the inner courtyard.
The site-specific art by Martijn Sandberg is executed in brick relief on the interior of the three archways and within paving stones upon the floor to the interior courtyard.

While walking through the archways over the paving ‘De Oude Weg Naar De Nieuwe Tijd’ *), a figuration appears before our eyes – as if in a vision.
In the constantly changing play of light and shadow, brick letters become visible upon the wall and the curved ceiling.
It is a figuration deploying four letters and four numbers, in each passageway with a different numerical combination, providing us with the entrance code for a journey through time: ‘Anno 2020’, ‘Anno 1917’, ‘Anno 3025’.
Through the gates and into the courtyard, step by step, letter by letter we enter: ‘The Old Path To The New Time, The New Path To The Old Time’.

*) ‘The Old Path To The New Time / The Old Way To The New Time’

Click here to see a description in English, as pdf.
Click here to see a description in Dutch, as pdf.

More info: Concept text (Dutch / English) by Martijn Sandberg, tender phase, August 2016, as pdf.

‘Architectuur met helend effect‘, interview/ article (in Dutch), www.heijmans.nl, 06/03/2018.

‘Uitslag tender Spaarndammerschool‘, article (in Dutch), www.dearchitect.nl, 02/12/2016.

Click here for photos of the artwork, in the section ‘public artworks’.

Title: ‘De Oude Weg Naar De Nieuwe Tijd’
Artist: Martijn Sandberg
Location: Krommeniestraat, Amsterdam
Concept and figuration: 2016
Realisation: 2019-2020
Planned completion: 2020
Project assistance art: Atelier Rinzema
Architects: Korth Tielens Architecten, Marcel Lok Architect
Landscape architect: DS landschapsarchitecten
Project development: Heijmans Vastgoed

Photos by: Martijn Sandberg