installation field 14, houten - jsa rotterdam · 2015-01-21 · jsa / installation field 14, houten...

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Installation Field 14, Houten


Location: Houten Client:Municipality of Houten

Design & realisation:2003-2008

Surface:20 sq m

Building costs:120.000 euro

JSA

Postbus 10643000 BB Rotterdam Blekerstraat 10Rotterdam t +31 (0)10 2010400 f +31 (0)10 2010401 [email protected]


Installation at an archaeological site

Field 14 is an archaeological site on the southern edge of a new housing estate in Houten. The plot is about 11.4 hectares in size and is a listed mo-nument. The land is currently in use as an orchard, pasture, and arable field.

No physical traces of the archaeological finds or occupation history are visible at the site. In 2000 ar-chaeologists investigated a small portion of the site. Drillings carried out in randomly selected locations elsewhere on the site revealed stone foundations, probably belonging to a Roman dwelling. Other than that, Field 14 has essentially been left untouched. The subsurface must remain undisturbed, so that thearchaeological remains are preserved intact for fu-ture investigation. In view of this situation, we deve-loped a plan that involves the least possible distur-bance to the site and is mainly representational in character.

Just as the new housing estate across the road draws attention to itself with a billboard and a mes-sage, the archaeological site now advertises its iden-tity by means of a pixel display:

‘AT WORK ON HISTORY HERE, AS TIME FLIES BY, IRREVERSIBLY’

Because the pixels are three-dimensional, two distinct images can be displayed simultaneously to viewers in different directions. Like a postcard with a picture that changes when you move it back and forth, the picture on the display changes as you drive past it. The text becomes an image, and the vague form of an old Roman dwelling becomes visi-ble, like a transparent watermark on the landscape. The installation is not only a message, but also an object. In its strategic location in the field, it looks somewhat misplaced among the grazing sheep. People who take the time to come closer to the construction, however, will find that it is possible to approach it and climb on to it. A staircase built into it leads visitors past reproductions of earlier exca-vations to a platform with a view of the field and its surroundings.



As you drive past the installation the text becomes an image.



The two halves are at-tached to each other where the stainless steel wires cross.



A staircase built into the installation leads visitors to a platform with a view of the field and its surroundings.



Platformwith an information-panel.

Screenresolution about 80x80 pixels,stainless steel wire frame,2-sided cubes in black and white combina-tions.

Foundationgalvanized steel IPE profiles 300 mm deep, topside even with surface level,concrete shields co-vered with earth.

Constructiongalvanized steel tubes with wind bracing.

Expositionvertical stainless steel wires with panels con-taining reproductions, illustrations and text.

Stairsgalvanized steel beams and perforated steps.

Footpathconcrete tiles 600x400 mm.

installation field 14, houten - jsa rotterdam · 2015-01-21 · jsa / installation field 14, houten...

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