Centraal Beheer. An instrument in the process of human awareness

Abstract

This research focuses on the motivations and the design processes that lead us to conceive the early works of the architect Herman Hertzberger, specifically Centraal Beheer office building, as an instrument. The assumption is that Hertzberger tried to respond to the needs and demands of the society in the sixties by forcing an individual interpretation of space aimed at strengthening the ties among people and between the people and the environment. His work, while following different reasoning and design strategies, is built on the premises developed by Dutch Team 10, which is believed to be his main architectural antecedent. A theory is presented on the design strategies used by Hertzberger to turn Centraal Beheer office building into an instrument able to promote diverse interpretations by individuals as a means of fostering processes of social and spatial identification. The basis for this theory lies in the analysis of several plans and sketches belonging to the different phases of the design process, specific and general bibliography, two interviews with Herman Hertzberger and other sources.