2331. Abdij S. Benedictusberg, Vaals

 

Dear Bernard,

"Architecture is born of this original discrepancy between

the two spaces -the horizontally oriented space of our

experience and the vertically oriented space of nature; it

begins when we add vertical walls to the horizontal 

surface of the earth.

Through architecture a piece of natural space is as it 

were set on its side so as to correspond to our 

experience-space. In this new space we live not so 

much against the earth as against the walls; our space 

lies not upon the earth but between walls.

This space brings a completion to natural space that 

allows it to be brought into relation with our 

experience-space; at the same time it allows 

specifically human space to be assimilated into the 

homogeneous order of nature."

(Father Hans van der Laan)

Best regards,

R

2113. Abdij S. Benedictusberg Vaals. Crypte

 

Dear Jason,

"We are created as one of the material beings that compose nature. Through our intellect, however, by which we rise above the conditions of matter and thus transcend time and space, we form a separate entity, within nature, that must maintain itself by means of a culture that it itself brings into existence. Furthermore, through our faith we belong to a still higher world, which transcends both matter and intellect."

(Dom Hans van der Laan)

Sincerely,

R

1286. Abdij S. Benedictusberg Vaals, Atrium

Dear Omar,

"Architecture is nothing else that that which
must be added to natural space to make habitable,
visible, and measurable" (Dom van der Laan)

Best regards,
R

1115. Abdiij Roosenberg

Querido Gabriel,

"Hay en la arquitectura de Van der Laan, como en la
de otros grandes maestros, un sello de identidad, muy
diferente al de la fastuosa arquitectura contemporánea,
y que se refleja en la expresión natural de su condición
humana, reflejo de la historia interna de la arquitectura.
(...) Sólo lo permanente, lo intrahistórico. Lo antiguo y
lo moderno se anulan en su identificación con el presente
eterno."
(Otras Vias. Pikionis, Lewerentz y Van der Laan,
Jose Ignacio Linazasoro)

Saludos cordiales,
R

1071. Abdij S. Benedictusberg. Vaals, Voorplein

Dear Margaret,

"It's doesn't make sense anymore to define the shapes of
things by their height, length and width, i.e. by imposing
them the three dimensions of our body, but now we impose our stay in standing, sitting and lying on things themselves, in this case on the buildings, which rise as towers, houses and arcades, within the space of nature."
(Instruments of Order, Father Hans van der Laan)

Peace,
R

973. Abdij S. Benedictusberg. Vaals. Kerk

Dear Peter

"The great artist is the simplifier" (Henri-Frédéric Amiel)

Regards,
R

923. Roosenberg, Waasmunster

Dear Leo,

"Any authentic piece of architecture is intrinsically holy,
as eventually is any truly act of creativity"
(Hans van der Laan)

Sincerely,
R

869. Roosenberg. Waasmunster

Dear Alvaro,

The outside under the spell of the inside

The inside under the spell of the wall

The wall under the spell of its surface

The surface under the spell of its outline

The line under the spell of its measure

The measure under the spell of the plastic number

The number under the spell of the ground ratio

(The Seven Relationships Of Architectonic

Space, Dom Hans van der Laan)

Happy 80th Birthday!

R  

711. Abdij St. Benedictusberg. Vaals

Dear Timo,

The extension of the Saint-Benedict Abbey near Vaals
is considered by many one of the masterpieces of Dutch
20th-century architecture. The architect, Hans van der
Laan, was an extraordinary Benedictine monk, who lived
and worked in this Abbey. He also discovered in 1928
the system of proportion of the Plastic Number that he
later applied in the design of his buildings.

Sincerely,
R