MVRDV and Postmodernism

In Netherlands, there was newly provided policy toward the end of 1990s for the people in retirement called “residential care complexes”. It aimed to enable people above the age of 55 to continue living in their homes for as long as possible. Wozoko’s is one of the projects belonged to MVRDV which is a firm of Dutch Architects. The name is an acronym for the founding members which are Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs and Nathalie de Vries.

MVRDV is considered to be a post-modernism which can be seen through their various projects. With the characteristic of postmodernism which is “the return of wit, ornament and reference”. The colorful and varying building has ““individual dwellings (that) are again notable for the variety of fenestrations, doors and balconies on the rear of the building, but especially in the units that project form the front façade, a way of circumventing the constraints of the master plan”, said Lootsma.

However, dispite the fact of being postmodernism, Wozoko, is still, somehow reacting with modernism by having the geometrical form of structure along with the concept of “form follow function”. Since the place was constructed but not enough space to enable all elders. Only 87 of 100 units could fit the restricted footprint while the remaining units were cantilevered on to the borth facade in order to respect the open space on the rest of the site. For modernist, “form follow function” is being focused in order to get a structure with the most simpliest and honest materials used along with being minimalist. Dispite the fact of being minimalist, Wozoko support the idea of modernism by the term of “form follow function” since the form of the building was created based on the function, (in this case), is the users of the space.