Opening of the cultural center in Almere by Sanaa

After two and a half years, a theater and art center built according to the winning design by the Tokyo studio Sanaa from 1999 was opened on the shore of a Dutch lake near the city of Almere. The majority of de Kunstlinie rests on the surface of Lake Weerwater, and the waterproof foundation basin had to be placed on hundreds of piles driven into the lake bed. The main structure consists of three simple blocks: a large hall with 1,050 seats, a small hall for 350 spectators, and a room for 150 people. The basements and storage rooms, along with the changing rooms, are located in the lower airtight basin. The offices are situated on the roof above the small hall. The exterior shell of the building is entirely glazed, even in areas where there are ordinary walls behind the glass. Lighting flows throughout the building, drawing from the atmosphere of the nearby water surface. The majority of the views from the building are also directed towards the lake. The costs of the art center escalated to 43 million euros. Link>