The Glass Farm

The Glass Farm is a multifunctional building located on the central market square of the Brabant village of Schijndel. It is an enlarged, average Schijndel farmhouse made of glass, which attempts to capture history with a nod to the past. This market building, with a total area of 1,600 m², houses shops, restaurants, offices, and a wellness center. Thirty-three years after Schijndel-based architect Winy Maas first proposed a design for the open space in the town square of his hometown, the building was finally completed.

Schijndel’s Marktplein suffered damage from the bombings during Operation Market Garden in World War II; since then, the square has been expanded and renovated several times. It turned out to be too large a square for the village. Schijndel is the birthplace of Winy Maas, and in 1980, at the age of twenty, he wrote a letter to the mayor proposing that the gap between the square and Hoofdstraat be filled with a building open to the public. In 2000, the then-council member asked him to take up the project again. Since then, he and MVRDV have produced several designs for the site as part of an extensive process; the current building is the seventh concept, following on from earlier proposals, including a design for a theatre.

Schijndel was deeply involved in this historic undertaking for the village. Late-night debates, surveys, and discussions in the local press: supporters and opponents alike were ultimately convinced of the need for a building. The market building, with a floor area of 1,600 m², houses not only offices but also public spaces such as restaurants, shops, and a wellness center.

The maximum volume of the building, as determined by the municipality, resembled the shape of a local farmhouse. MVRDV documented and photographed all remaining farmhouses in Schijndel and asked artist Frank van der Salm to compose an ideal, average farmhouse as a collage of the existing farmhouses. The average dimensions were determined based on a detailed study of existing farmhouses. This image is printed on the 1,800-square-meter glass facade using a modern technique that creates a stained-glass effect. The print varies in opacity to allow for visibility and transparency.

Standing 14 meters tall, the farmhouse is 1.6 times larger than a real farmhouse. It symbolizes the growth of the village, which has since become a small town. The print reflects the enlarged scale: for example, the printed door of the farmhouse is 4 meters high. For adults, the whole scene evokes a touch of childhood nostalgia. To further enhance this effect, an enlarged farmyard has also been created around the farmhouse.

This text has been translated using AI.