Lucid
Dom Hans van der Laan
The post-war period was one of dramatic change, also for the Catholic Church. The rebuilding of many ruined places of worship was necessary and religious leaders sought connection with a world that had altered significantly. During the Second Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII "opened the windows of the Church to let in the fresh air from outside." It was time for inevitable modernisation.
It was in this zeitgeist that the Dutch Benedictine monk and architect Dom Hans van der Laan (1904-1991) went in search of the essence of architecture. Using careful proportions, he aimed for deceleration and inner peace, architecture on a human scale, rooted in the landscape. In the early 1970s, the Franciscan sisters of Mary from Waasmunster saw van der Laan as the ideal person to shape their brand new convent. The small community was keen to retreat to some quiet nature for contemplation. So, van der Laan was invited to set to work on a green field in the forest. For the first time, there were no existing buildings to consider.
When the retreat was inaugurated in 1975, absolutely everything was in perfect harmony. Roosenberg Abbey was a sophisticated A to Z concept: all of the interior and furnishings were also designed by van der Laan. Each room has its own purpose and stimulated connection, between the sisters, their guests and the surrounding nature. Roosenberg still has this same ability today. With its balanced ratios and careful play of light and shadow, this holistically designed gem inspires reflection and connection!
Bureau van der Laan
A good building is able to gather space, shape and size all in one. The spaces we relax in match our experience, the shapes we see match our perception and the relationships between the dimensions we sense with our spirit. And like human spirit, sensory perception and bodily experience are all incorporated in one being, the same must be true of the building, where the three worlds of space, shape and size form one harmonious whole. This is pretty much the secret behind our building method and we do our very best to accomplish this ambition.
