TETEM 3, The Weverij, becomes ‘The last icon of Roombeek’
In 2001, the most severe disaster in the history of Enschede occurred when the SE Fireworks factory exploded. This event led to a significant devastation in the Roombeek neighborhood, resulting in a large number of casualties. Over time, the reconstruction process began under the guidance of supervisor Pi de Bruijn, a former resident of the area. Nearly 20 years later, the reconstruction is nearing completion.
The new Roombeek neighborhood is characterized by notable structures such as the Museumfabriek, the Balengebouw, and the Eekenhof, serving as icons that define the area. Despite being designated for residential use only, TETEM 3, the Weverij, is intended to become the fifth and final icon of the neighborhood.
The location of TETEM 3, situated on the site of a former textile hall, is closely linked to the adjacent ARTEZ building, another former textile hall of the Twentse Textiel maatschappij. To blend into the surroundings, a ‘relationship of similarity’ is sought on two of the three facades, respecting the industrial architecture from the late 19th century to the 1930s. The distinctive triangular shape of the site inspires the expression of the explosion through the third facade, featuring a crumpled appearance of etched aluminum matching the color of the brick.
TETEM 3 accommodates 150 apartments with a built-in parking facility, solidifying its connection to the location by mirroring the typical triangular shape of the surrounding green shards in the street.
The explosion
Years after the explosion
Relation of similarity
Correcting angular distortion in structure
Orthogonal structure
Orthogonal structure
North facade
East facade
South facade
West facade