Katherine Gufstafson Review

 

Katherine Gufstafson: Cultuurpark Westergasfabriek

This weeks designer/practice review is looking at the work of Katherine Gufstafson. Although I am aware of and following the practice "Gufstafson Porter + Bowman", of which she is a founding partner, I am not knowingly familiar with Katherine Gufstafson as an individual designer. I was drawn to her profile, not only because of my existing admiration of GP+B, but also as a result of her being one of the female designers on the list. 

The project I am looking at is the Cultuurpark Westergasfabriek, in Amsterdam, which Gustafson designed (and won) for a competition in 2006. I was drawn towards this project as it sits on a former industrial/brownfield site. Despite its industrial, functional history, her design rebuilds the sites identity as a social and cultural hub. The design, which incorporates interesting geometric shapes and dense, low maintenance - yet visually-effective - planting, is also packed with non-physical placemaking principles. With around 27,000 hectares of brownfield land in the UK (CRPE, 2022), destined for development, this successful regenerative scheme is something that could inform and guide future development in the UK.

I feel that the scheme perfectly captures the Dutch culture of out-door socialising in and around water, demonstrating the design's sensitivity and understanding of the population that it is serving. Having been to the site, I can confirm that the park has succeeded in its goals of acting as a social node and has been thriving and energetic every time I have been there. 

A critical reflection of the user experience is the vastness of the empty, concrete-paved area on the southern edge of the site. This leads to an odd, exposed feeling when walking through this area of the plan, perhaps to encourage movement over gathering, in this area? I would love to understand the rationale behind this aspect of the design. To contradict this critique, a feature of this project that I really love is the dichotomy of large, open, public-realm spaces and secluded, "private" pockets, all within the one site. 

CRPE (2022) "State of Brownfield 2022: A report by CPRE, the countryside charity" Available at: https://www.cpre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/State-of-Brownfield-2022-FINAL-FORMATTED-15-12-2022.pdf (Accessed: 05/02/2025).

Project and photo source: https://www.gp-b.com/cultuurpark-westergasfabriek.