‘When I’m driving on the motorway and look into the distance, I sometimes think, wow, we architects play an important role in the organization of the entire environment people live work and travel in. That is very exciting to realize. You are influencing people’s behavior.’
The most satisfaction from his work as project manager Bas gets if the intrinsic value of architecture is maintained in the middle of the complex and sometimes difficult building process. He loves architecture that doesn’t hide its technical intelligence, so the user can get a feel for the forces and volumes that come into play. That is a real contribution to the experience of a space.
‘Large projects are especially great to do, like Sportpaleis Ahoy. So much capacity and functionalities were added, but it’s not obvious or bothersome to anyone. We succeed when people feel at ease and appreciate the space itself as an extra experience. Some day I would like to design a theatre, a world in itself, that adds an special experience to the performances.’