PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA: First of all, I would like to ask, what were your impressions of the excursion to the location?
Vincent Panhuizen: The place makes a deep impression. It is very difficult to understand what happened there... The manifestation of the dark side of humanity...
Kyis Kaan, Konstantin Kovshevatsky, Iryna Isachenko, Vincent Panhuizen. Photo: Yury Ferendovych
PM: How difficult do you think the task of creating a project capable of performing three functions at once — educational, cultural and memorial?
V.P.: This is the challenge facing us. The building will not be a museum, a university or just a monument, but it should perform all these functions at the same time. It is an object of national and global importance, as it is a link in the chain of Holocaust memorials around the world. We don't have a solution yet, we're just trying to find it, feel for the right approach to the problem. We realize that the memory of the Holocaust is very important. But it begins to fade and becomes more of a legend than a reality for the younger generation. It shouldn't be, this is the worst case scenario. It is necessary to preserve the memory.
The memory of the Holocaust is very important. But it begins to fade and becomes a legend
PM: Should such an object be a landmark with a bright architectural image, or do you prefer the concept of "quiet" architecture?
Kyis Kaan: We think that the memorial itself will be outstanding because of its purpose. The place already has a great power: you feel the historical events, and perhaps the architecture will no longer be able to intensify the emotions. Maybe the building should just complement this quiet place? Achieving this will help his restraint, structures should not "shout". We will think about it all next month.
Siesegem crematorium, built by KAAN Architecten near the city of Aalst, Belgium. Image source: kaanarchitecten.com
PM: How important is the fact that the design site is located in Ukraine? Does Ukraine have any significance as a location?
K.K.: Should our future object be "Ukrainian architecture"? If so, then, of course, the location itself is definitely Ukrainian, very characteristic. I don't think there are many places in the world that have similar topography, landscape and history. The very topic of the Holocaust affects all of humanity, it is global. The clients of the project strive to convey the message to Ukrainians, children and adults, because they will be the main visitors, but also strive to attract visitors from all over the world. Therefore, the project does not need to be Ukrainized, it is already such in its essence, and no architecture will change that. Architecture can be international.
We notice the peculiarities of the context and will take them into account
PM: You may have noticed that there are few objects of modern architecture in our country. Ukraine is not spoiled by it, people do not have significant visual experience, are not immersed in the topic like Europeans. If your concept is complicated, will Ukrainians be able to understand it?
K.K.: This is a good question, we discussed it. People usually value what is related to some generally accepted standards. What seems to us to be very simple and cute may not be understood in the same way by people, since they have different standards. Perhaps you have reason to believe that Ukrainians are not very receptive to the beauty of architecture. But we visited the St. Michael's Cathedral, walked around Kiev, and I cannot call you insensitive - otherwise all these beautiful buildings would not exist. Culture is felt in this. But, of course, your country has gone through many periods of different cultural domination.
The founders of KAAN Architecten are Vincent Panhuizen and Kyis Kaan. Photo: Yury Ferendovych
V.P.: We notice the peculiarities of the context and will take them into account. And they intend to design not what they would do in Belgium or France. It will be in your context, it will be related to Ukrainian architecture. It will be based on our own ideas. For example, we designed the embassy in Mozambique and built it with local workers, and the contractor was Portuguese. Thus, it turned out to be a very rare mix of cultural influences.
The laconic architecture and interiors of the Siesegem crematorium are designed to comfort visitors and give them strength. Image source: kaanarchitecten.com
In the end, all these features were reflected in the project. The same will happen here. Perhaps not at the concept stage. Perhaps, after someone wins, he will continue to work on the project. At the same time, the architect will be in a constant dialogue — after all, there will be a certain influence on the part of the foundation, on the part of the construction company. As a result, the project will absorb some features of modern Ukrainian and Kyiv life. This is exactly what is beautiful in architecture! The process takes so much time that it becomes a common job. We will stand at the opening and proudly say: "Oh, look, this is our building!" Employees of the foundation will say: "Oh, this is our building!" And the contractor will certainly say: "Look, this is my building!"
The ceiling height in Siesegem is more than 6 m, the interior spaces are filled with light and air. Image source: kaanarchitecten.com
PM: You said that you visited St. Michael's Cathedral. In the XNUMXth century his architecture was not intended to be local, it was supposed to "pull" the people of Kyiv to the global context. Can your architecture become an attempt to involve Ukrainians in the global context?
K.K.: We don't think so, to be honest. We don't have any program, we don't want to impose any style on someone. Rather, it is a way of thinking, a style of work from which projects grow. Our self-expression is not an end in itself, therefore there is always room for the opinion of the customer or specialists who build the building. We do not have an imperative as to how exactly this building should look. Not at all.
V.P.: And at the same time, one must ask what is "global"? The more specific the design, the more it interacts with the context, the more interesting it is to people all over the world. So what is "global"?
We do not have an imperative as to how exactly this building should look
PM: Global is about unification, about common values.
K.K.: Architecture naturally, and not only in the last 100 years, has become international and global. She was always an export product, so to speak. Architects traveled and absorbed various styles, influenced each other. And since iconic buildings were most often built by the nobility and the church, architects worked in different parts of the world. Thus, architecture has always been more global than we are used to thinking.
Gray concrete and sand-colored marble: the strict palette of Siesegem interiors invites reflection and contemplation. Image source: kaanarchitecten.com
PM: About the field of application, art experts say that it has been in a deep crisis for the last 70 years. At least because they can no longer give a clear formulation of art. Is there any simple definition of what contemporary architecture is?
K.K.: Architecture is a very broad field. Art historians and historians of architecture perceive it completely differently than architects. And I think that these perceptions are not necessarily interconnected. They really have no idea how architecture is created, how it develops. It is difficult for them to talk about modern architecture, because it has not yet passed through the filters of time. In the end, I don't care what historians say about our field.
Interviewed by: Iryna Isachenko and Konstantin Kovshevatsky
