SikkensFoundation

Sikkens Prize

1983 CAREL WEEBER — For his innovative designs in the field of urban develop- ment and architecture and his infuential contribution to the cultural dimension of contemporary buildings. — The second Sikkens Award in 1983 went to the architect (and former member of the board of directors), Carel Weeber. In the accompanying publication, which also in- cludes the offcial reasons given by the board of direc- tors, Taverne wrote about size and scale in Weeber’s ar- chitecture. His large-scale residential projects, such as De Peperklip in Rotterdam or the Venserpolder in Am- sterdam particularly design the shape of the public space and do not focus on individual details. Weeber uses the factor of large-scale buildings as a step towards a new industrialization of construction, in which a better product is created in terms of quality and aesthetics. “In Wee- ber’s architecture, color is not there to please or create an illusion, but in order to make sure that the forms and the parts are in the right place. In the new residential block to be built in the Spuikwartier in The Hague, one of the visual methods is to create a tension in the building, with the almost absurd contrast between a completely black façade and a bright light inner space. It is particu- larly because of the connections between color and the problems of size and scale in architecture that Carel Weeber was presented with the Award.” In addition, his role as a stimulator of discussions, amongst other things, as a professor of architecture at the Technical University of Delft, is recognized by this prize. Back to index Download text as pdf