ABSTRACT

In contrast,the urban experience which resulted from Van Eesteren's plan is on the whole of openness in the spatial character and of variety in the dwelling blocks that are produced. The two sources which are often quoted to be precedents for the plan are ideas which result from both De Stijl and ClAM thinking. Clearly the implementation of the plan was originally influenced by socio-economic, functionalist precepts. Van Eesteren's approach was obviously influenced by ClAM, of which he was the president from 1930, but in terms of theoretical approach he understood the processes of the time scale of implementation. He envisaged that before the 'work of art' could be achieved, the time that was needed was in a way comparable to the construction of cathedrals in earlier centuries which took several decades (Hellinga 1983 ). This would in fact be an advantage, for Van Eesteren's plan was concerned with anticipating future needs which should reflect the culture of the times.