Site preparation for the construction of the new visitor center at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten has started. Karres en Brands in collaboration with KAAN Architects was asked by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) in 2018 to design a new visitor center. The assignment involves the positioning of the visitor center, its integration into the landscape, architectural expression and the relationship with the existing monuments.

The cemetery is perfectly integrated into the Limburg landscape but at the same time distinguishes itself through its geometry and monumentality. The new visitor center should be an elegant and dignified addition to the landscape and the significance of the cemetery. It is a delicate task to design a new building within the sacred and monumental context of the cemetery.

The location and architectural expression were chosen based on an extensive analysis of the landscape and the sequence of spatial experiences one has as one moves through the cemetery toward the awe-inspiring cemeteries with white headstones. All design interventions aim to inform and make the visitor receptive to both the imposing scale of this part of world history and the tangibility of personal stories in a modest and respectful way.

I.c.w. KAAN Architecten

SmitsRinsma

Pieters Bouwtechniek

DGMR

Image: KAAN Architecten