Scenography for Huis Perrekes

Between dereliction and reinhabitation, the disused parsonage of Oosterlo is entering into a state of transition. We brought it to life not only for the Day of Architecture, but as an additional layer that will remain imprinted on the building while it awaits renovation as a new amenity for Huis Perrekes, a local care organisation offering support and residence for people suffering from dementia. The installation looks to mark the village parsonage with the memories and rituals of Huis Perrekes as a signal of activities to come.

At Huis Perrekes, living itself is treated as a form of art; an ongoing experiment of highly thoughtful and empathetic work developed by carers, musicians, artists, architects, residents’ families and volunteers. In order to produce this installation, we spent time at the Villa of Huis Perrekes observing, drawing and photographing. Through these interactions, we illuminated some of the stories behind certain objects and daily rituals that hold a deeper meaning.

We treated light as the primary transformative element in the space, mediating the material and immaterial. Excerpts of conversations are illuminated on the windows of the three rooms of the installation, transforming with the natural light and atmospheric conditions outside the house. White sand covers the parsonage interior, leaving traces of those who pass through. Outside, a slender ribbon of chalk text wraps around the building’s exterior with the message ‘you are beautiful, here is beautiful’. These warm words, borrowed from a resident of the Villa, act as a rhythmic mantra to hold the building, a gesture towards its future intention.

Project: Installation and scenography, Dag van de Architectuur 2021
Client: NU architectuuratelier / Huis Perrekes
Location: Oosterlo, Belgium
Year: 2021

Islands of Architecture

Selected projects Cultural, Exhibition, Residential, Teaching and research

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Selected projects
Cultural, Exhibition, Residential, Teaching and research