MOVING IMMOVABLE ABCOUDE

Moving Immovable Abcoude 2001 – 2002  Moving Immovable dealt with major changes in a neighborhood in Abcoude, which lies near the train tracks which were to be expanded to make room for a high speed rail line (HSL). Moving Immovable places itself on the weak side against business and economic decisions. 

Farewell to the railroad neigborhood, 2001 – In november 2001, few days before demolition, the residents bid farewell to the railroad neighborhood. One of the sheds in a backyard was uprooted, carried by 24 men to the road, and then hoisted onto a barge to be transported over a small river, the Gein. The shed was a symbol of human size as seen against the mega-architecture of the railroad tunnel which would be constructed under the Gein. 

The railroad pavilion, 2002 – The shed stood for several years beside the tracks on a farm, waiting for its return in the form of a signal house. Pro Rail had purchased the farm because the farmer lost his land to the track expansion. We rebuilt the hay barn on the property into a Railroad Pavilion with our own hands for an interim project presentation. We used the leftover materials from the razed homes to illustrate the history of the neighborhood and the project. Unfortunately, the idea to bring the shed back as a signal house could not be fulfilled. The shed became a part of the project Salt Tour 2008, upside down as a boat, and found a home at the Zuiderzee Museum in Enkhuizen, s. Salt Tour project.  

Financial support through the stimulus program Belvedère, which strived to develop a new approach to cultural heritage. Moving Immovable was an innovative approach with the awareness that cultural heritage is more than what is designated by art historians and archeologists. Cultural heritage also deals with the direct experience of people with their environment. It was seen as an example for a strategy for other locations in The Netherlands. Further financial support province of Utrecht, Rail Infrabeheer, Fonds BKVB, VSBfonds, Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, Bouwfonds Cultuurfonds, Arcadis Bouwinfra. Initiative, concept and production Ida van der Lee. Organization Henke Baars. In cooperation with the residents in of the neigborhood by the tracks, Rail Infrabeheer and the municipality of Abcoude. Technical Jaap Velserboer, Piet Vos, Michiel Jansen, Paul van Blom, Julius Calland, Benno Braas, Martien Bakker. Dekschuit: Arie Hoek. Lighting design Henk Post. Tent Dré Wapenaar. Dragers schuurtje Theo, Martien, Ben, Piet, Jaap, Ad, Hans, Gilles, Pier, Willem, Frank, Péjé, Huib, Sebastiaan, two joggers, Paul, Michiel, Arie, Hidde, Joost. Tree trunk boat Ellen, Natasja, Rachel, Marja, Hennie, Sylvia, Arie, Jaap. Soup Jessica Panhuijsen. Advice Architectuur Lokaal, Het Kunstgeografisch Genootschap. Newsletter editor Emily Kocken. Newsletter design Philip Stroomberg. Website Joost Pothast. Photografy Paul Gofferjé, Peer Reede, Kick Smeets, Jan Lankhorst Film The Good Guys, Marcel Prins, Janine Luxenburg. Publication self publishing of two newsletters.