WATERTOWER SINT JANSKLOOSTER BY ZECC ARCHITECTEN

A water tower turned into a watchtower

Water towers are everywhere and often offer a stunning view on the surroundings that remains otherwise inaccessible to the public. The one located in Sint Jansklooster in the Netherlands differs from the others on that point. It has been transformed into a watchtower of the weirdest kind by Zecc Architecten. The Dutch architecture firm has designed a spectacular staircase that leads up to the 45-meter-high view, thus giving the water tower a second life.

First, by interlacing two very intricate staircases Zecc Architecten wanted to reinforce the spatial perception of this unusual place. To the original steel staircase has been added a large, wooden one that zigzags throughout the tower. The warm wood contrasts with the cold, dark grey concrete of which the tower is made, while the unusual path it follows differs from the linear curve of the original staircase. The result is quite impressive and reminiscent of the mad stairs of M. C. Escher’s Relativity.

The reward of this journey up to the top is a stunning view of the countryside surrounding the tower. Four large windows have been added to four smaller ones in order to maximize the stunning panorama. There, the choice of wood as a main material for the new staircase makes even more sense. Indeed, since this prowess of engineering isn’t used anymore, it’s just a remnant of human activity in the middle of nature. Wood reintroduces nature into this concrete space and gives it a new life.