Schreierhuisje

Writers residence

The Schreihuisje, or Schreiershuisje, is a historic building dating from the 1930s, situated on ’t Hoofd along the Nieuwe Waterweg in Schiedam-Zuid. It served as a waiting house for people setting off on their voyages (and their loved ones who remained behind, weeping). Over the course of the 20th century, it lost this function, and since 2012 the Mooi Werk Foundation has taken the cottage under its wing, hosting a series of changing exhibitions. The idea arose to complement the cottage with a ‘Writers’ Cottage’, intended to record local stories. The Satellietgroep was commissioned by the municipality of Schiedam to develop a proposal for this.
Satellietgroep commissioned MIXD to produce a preliminary design and a budget for the scheme. MIXD set to work on the design in collaboration with Jacqueline Heerema. In the plan, the writers’ residence is positioned partly over the Schreihuisje, resembling a ‘spider’. The residence stands on stilts to protect against flooding and to ensure the guest artist’s safety. The architecture of the Schrijvershuisje draws on archetypal elements from, amongst other things, shipping: a small boat folded from (writing) paper, combined with the archetype of a house. The waterside is open, whilst the less open landside houses the entrance and the bedroom.