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Joey Rademakers nominated for the Abe Bonnema Prize 2024

November 2024

We are proud to share that Joey, co-founder of De Nieuwe Context, has been nominated for the Abe Bonnema Prize for Young Architects with his project De Witte van Heer in Maastricht. The Abe Bonnema Foundation aims to promote architectural quality in the Netherlands and celebrate innovative work by architects under the age of 40. Joey’s nomination for his residential studio De Witte van Heer is a great honor and recognition. The winner will be announced on December 7 at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, but we are already incredibly proud!
In 2016, Joey and Renske bought the old carré farmhouse from 1843 in Heer, Maastricht. Many would call it a ruin, which was precisely why Joey and Renske decided to make an offer on “the wreck.” Their offer was accepted… De Witte van Heer is reborn!

The Form of De Witte van Heer

Just as in his work for clients, Joey found inspiration for De Witte van Heer in its context—what was already there. With this foundation, he approached the project experimentally, much like the small-scale farmer who once lived in the farmhouse. A pragmatic approach: designing a structure that facilitates this way of working and allows for new uses while respecting the building’s original functions. Sleeping in the former hayloft, working in the horse stable, relaxing in the old cowshed, and cooking and dining where chickens and pigs once roamed. Adapting and expanding—because as users change, the building must evolve with them.

Not just for now, but also for the future.

Sustainable Design and Construction

Since the rebuilding of De Witte van Heer, one principle has been clear: a transformation and renovation carried out as sustainably and self-sufficiently as possible. The project incorporates reused marlstone blocks and handmade field bricks, alongside circular building methods and ecological materials. Joey has personally taken on much of the construction work, stepping into roles such as bricklayer, roofer, and electrician. But above all, he has been an experimental designer, whose eight years of dedication to De Witte van Heer have now been recognized with a nomination for the Abe Bonnema Prize 2024—a well-deserved milestone in an extraordinary journey!

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