Rotterdam - Groot IJsselmonde

In 1973 the city of Rotterdam commissioned Lucien den Arend to make a proposal for a sculpture for a dodecagonal space | inner garden of a new police station in the quarter Groot IJsselmonde of Rotterdam. It is situated next to the Lombardijen railway station.

The blueprints of the building, showed that, underneath this space, there were two separate floors which were part of the construction of the building. This meant that it would not be possible to use plants without having to put them in containers. Lucien den Arend sought for a solution which would have low maintenance to insure a constant effect.

1973-75 - earthscape - stainless steel, rocks, concrete and water, Police Station Groot-IJsselmonde, Rotterdam NL

Two other Dutch sculptors, Teun Jacob and Ian Pieters, (who had been den Arend's teacher at the Rotterdam Art School) were also asked to make proposals for this patio. Both made more or less sculptural proposals. Lucien den Arend was more attracted to the space as a perforation through the building, making what is underneath visible. And in his first impression he already sketched the concept of the earth's crust viewed through the hole in the floor.

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1973 - earthscape - sketch for a patio in Police Station Groot-IJsselmonde, Rotterdam NL - paper (A4) and pencil

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