15-02-2015

Dutch Design Daily

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KAW architecten www.kaw.nl

The ‘Veilige Veste’

By 15-02-2015

Adaptive reuse of a former police office to a a shelter in the city Leeuwarden for girls who are, for example, on the run from domestic violence, lover boys and forced prostitution. KAW designed ‘Veilige Veste’ and won the Hedy d’Ancona Prize 2014 for excellent healthcare architecture.

Common practice is that this group of people are brought to anonymous locations as to minimise the risk of confrontation with the offenders. But this vision has changed. Linda Terpstra of Fier Fryslân: “Why do the victims have to hide themselves?” The location and design are a statement: a societal problem which is taken out of anonymity with in a beautiful, remarkable building on a visible location.

The former police station has been renovated in a carbon neutral manner and the safety measures are well-coordinated. For instance, there is 24-hour camera surveillance, bulletproof glass and safety locks. The repetition of a square grid is the design’s starting point. The façade is covered with square elements that are diagonally angled. Composite materials are cast into a mould, thus providing endless possibilities. A challenge for architectural draughtsmen.

Client: WoonFriesland
Projectarchitect: KAW Beatrice Montesano