The Rokin displays

At Rokin metro station some 9,500 archaeological finds are on view in two permanent displays situated between the escalators at the south and north entrances to the platforms. These displays together with the platform walls comprise the Kunstplan, the commissioned artwork for this station.

Artworks were incorporated in the station architecture as part of the Kunst Noord/Zuidlijn, the art programme of the North/South metro line project. Each station had its own theme and for each a different artist was selected to interpret this. Local as well as international artists from various disciplines took part in the project.

Start of the design process, structuring the finds (©J. 't Hoen)

The commission for Rokin station was awarded to the British/French partnership Daniel Dewar & Grégory Gicquel at the end of 2012. Using different kinds of stone they constructed a monumental mosaic on the platform walls of 33 enlarged images of contemporary objects, inspired by archaeological finds. In addition, they assisted design the presentations in the display cases, which were then executed by the archaeological team of the Department of Monuments and Archaeology (MenA). The result is a dialogue between art and archaeology on the theme of the ‘city’. Rokin station is the metro stop in the very heart of the historic city centre on the actual site where a great many of the archaeological finds were made.

The display at the north entrance is 12 m long and 3.34 m wide and the one at the south entrance 14 m long and 3.59 m wide. Both displays taper down to a width of 2.06 m. The idea was to completely fill the displays with a vast number of finds. The MenA’s initial concepts were based on the idea of a stepped construction. These concepts were discussed early in 2012 at expert meetings organized by the team archaeology of MenA and the Heritage Lab of the University of Amsterdam held at the Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam. Collaboration with the artists Dewar and Giquel, however, led to a final design based on a flat surface, whereby the display cases followed the incline of the escalator (a gradient of 30 degrees). The presentation will remain in place for thirty years. For this reason, durable mainly inorganic materials were chosen (ceramics, glass, metal or bone).

Mounting the objects on the panels (screenshot from the AT5 documentary 'Amstel. Spiegel van de stad')

The finds are mounted on 26 mm, acid-free multiplex panels painted with Sikkens ON.00.55 and varnished. The panels measured 1.20 m x 0.80 m. To fit the tapered shape of the display cases, the long outside edges of the outer panels were miter cut. In some cases these panels were so narrow that they were incorporated with the adjoining panel. In total the north display consists of 36 panels and the south display of 46 panels. The c. 9,500 finds were individually secured to the panels with 2 or 3 mm brass pins (team MenA). For the heavy objects, special supports were made which were anchored to the base of the display.

Placement of the panels in the south display

The arrangement of the finds in the displays follows the subdivision into the ten functional urban characteristics developed for the photographic catalogue Stuff (team MenA). The north display showcases the following categories (from top to bottom): food processing and consumption, science and technology, arms and armour, communication and exchange, games and recreation, personal artefacts and clothing. In the south display the finds illustrate the themes buildings and structures, interiors and accessories, distribution and transport, craft and industry.

The display cases were developed and built by Kloosterboer Decor from Purmerend. To prevent deterioration of the finds, air conditioning was installed in both display cases. This stabilises the temperature and humidity as well as creating a slight overpressure to keep out the dust. The lighting, consisting of strips of LED lamps built into the framework of the cases, was designed by Theatermachine and built by Lichtpunt Theatertechniek. The display cases were installed in late 2017. In January 2018 the panels were added and in February 2018 the glass was installed.

Digital recording for the GIS model (©J. 't Hoen)

For the creation of a model for searching the displays on the website, the mounted panels were photographed in high resolution (Harold Strak). These were then used to make a GIS model (Geographic Information System) of the presentation in each display case (team MenA). Since this model is linked to the database, details of every find on display can be directly accessed.

View of the north display, prior to the official opening

Credits

• Client: Metro and Tram, City of Amsterdam / Kunst Noord/Zuidlijn
• Concept content and management coordination project: Archaeology North/South Line, MenA, City of Amsterdam: Jerzy Gawronski, Peter Kranendonk
• Design: Daniel Dewar, Grégory Gicquel
• Coordination Kunstplan: Véronique Baar (Qkunst)
• Consultation and advice: Ynte Alkema (ATELIER Alkema)
• Initial design displays: BenthemCrouwel Architects
• Final design and construction display cases: Kloosterboer Decor
• Lighting: design Theatermachine; construction Lichtpunt Theatertechniek
• Air conditioning: Kuijpers BV
• Production find panels: Archaeology North/South Line, MenA, City of Amsterdam: Fred Draaijer, Ronald Klein, Eddie de Vlugt
• Photography find panels: Harold Strak
• 3D and GIS models find panels: Archaeology North/South Line, MenA, City of Amsterdam: Peter Kranendonk, Jort Maas, Bart Vissers