Archinect - News2024-05-06T05:48:16-04:00https://archinect.com/news/article/150255697/the-stories-of-beth-haim-brought-to-life-by-kossmanndejong-and-loerakker-olsson-architects
The Stories of Beth Haim Brought to Life by Kossmanndejong and Loerakker Olsson Architects Maria Doku2021-03-18T19:16:00-04:00>2024-03-15T01:45:58-04:00
<img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/37/377af3fbb3bbe7d3dd0738d38a9e4c36.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Designed by <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/150255695/kossmanndejong-and-loerakker-olsson-architects" target="_blank">Kossmanndejong and Loerakker Olsson Architects</a>, Beth Haim—Hebrew for ‘House of Life’—is one of the oldest Sephardic cemeteries in the world. The cemetery serves as a testament to the Portuguese and Jewish community of Amsterdam, displaying graves from the 17th century and beyond.</p>
<figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/30/3050d77e9034aff0d3803eb8cd929045.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/30/3050d77e9034aff0d3803eb8cd929045.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&w=514"></a></p><figcaption>The interior of Beth Haim, a tribute to ‘House of Life’ with its light space featuring a large skylight and reflective ivory-glazed tiles. The horizontal screen is made of an introduction film—a narrating window to the cemetery behind. Photo courtesy of Kossmanndejong.</figcaption></figure><figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/f0/f09e71f35d192fecc467be09ab0d57f8.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/f0/f09e71f35d192fecc467be09ab0d57f8.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Photo courtesy of Kossmanndejong.</figcaption></figure><p>Kossmanndejong and Loerakker Olsson Architects sought to translate the transient nature of the historic cemetery onto the materials used in the design. Featuring a façade embedded with broken masonry, delicate natural stone features, and weathered brass doors upon entrance, this sense of transience is completed with the roof construction of untreated solid oak and benches to match.<br></p>
<figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/bf/bf1a730f355bd74156e697fd9edcedec.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/bf/bf1a730f355bd74156e697fd9edcedec.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Beth Haim, pavili...</figcaption></figure>