VACANT POSSESSION
In order to realize a brand new central library the Universtity of Amsterdam intended to demolish several historic and listed buildings in the Binnengasthuis area that supposedly wouldn’t fit the program. Forced by the municipality, pressure groups and public opinion the University board asked us to re-investigate the spatial and functional possibilities of the existing buildings. As our sketches and surveys proofed, the existing buildings could quite easily provide all functional requirements and offer all spatial possibilities to realize an architecturally attractive library. So the initial plans were aborted and as things look now the existing buildings will be preserved.
