Exhibition Pavilion De Verbeelding

The "Art Route Zeewolde" is a seven-kilometer path that goes through an outdoor sculpture exhibition. This park with sculptures smoothly transitions into a lake with green banks, where a pavilion named Verbeelding (Imagination) is located.
Originally, this structure was intended for a plot of land between a school and a sports complex. With its final position in the water, at the end of the art route, it becomes a center for cultural events, exhibitions, and lectures.
The fame of the art route is particularly enhanced by the sculpture Sea Level, created by the American artist Richard Serra. The elongated shape of the pavilion is derived from Serra's long black concrete wall.

The limited budget led to the use of a truss frame for the roof construction. These originally economical structures are often used for barns and are therefore well-known from agricultural landscapes. All frames are identical, yet each forms a different angle with the base plate. This creates an elegantly twisted shape for the roof. The same elements, typically used for clumsy warehouses, create a undulating envelope here.
This subtle rotation also causes a certain tectonic imperfection at the ridge, where the arches almost touch. The arm of one arch is attached to the tip of another. The gradual shift of the roof planes allows for the influx of indirect daylight. The roof is made of trapezoidal sheet metal covered with corrugated aluminum. Inside, the steel sheet is partially clad with drywall. Both interior materials are partially perforated to ensure favorable acoustics. Utility spaces such as offices, toilets, storage, and a small library are inserted into the main volume as two separate wooden masses.

The transparent base of the building consists of a glass strip. This seemingly elevates the pavilion above its surroundings, contributing to its airy character. The building is situated on a flat promontory with steep banks on both sides. The view of the surrounding water through the glass base creates the impression that the pavilion is floating. The omnipresent reflections of the water on the ceiling enhance the feeling of rocking on the waves. The richly glazed gable wall offers a beautiful view over the lake. to the artwork.