The intuitive poly nuclear calligraphic sketch by Ilona Lénárd is wrapped around the complete exterior of the housing blocks including the roof surface. The façade is composed of 6 mm cold formed aluminium plates. Each panel has a unique shape and relief and is produced by a shipbuilder following a strict CNC procedure. The sketch of visual artist Ilona Lénárd is parametrized. Artist, architect and engineers have worked closely together to develop the integrated parametric design and engineering system. At the beginning of the calligraphic movement the pressure is translated into a 2 cm deep inward bend. At the point of the greatest pressure, the embossed imprint is 5 cm. All changes in the power of the pressure of the calligraphy are translated into smooth transitions from shallower to deeper depths of the imprint. The varying depth of the sketched lines combined with the rounded corners gives the natural aluminium façade a touch of smoothness. The effect for the urban block is that the street façade has a unique unified character unrivalled by any repetitive system of mass-produced façade panels. The effect for the inhabitant is that each house is unique. No inhabitant has the same deep 3d sketch on its façade.

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Date: 2007

Site: Amsterdam Bijlmermeer

Size: 53 apartments

design: ONL [Oosterhuis_Lénárd]

Lead designers: Kas Oosterhuis, Ilona Lénárd

Project architect: Cas Aalbers, Gijs Joosen,

Design team: Marthijn Pool, Ronald Brandsma, Henrike Michler, Paulina Gurak, Rafael Seemann, Barbara Janssen, Michael Gorczynski, Tom Hals, Stefan Schneider, Rena Logara

Client: Delta Forte
Facade: Centraal Staal - ONL