The New Geurt Brinkgreve Bokaal Trophy

This trophy is awarded annually by the Municipality of Amsterdam to the best initiative in the transformation, renovation, and restoration of heritage. The new trophy, resembling an architectural model, embodies the essence of this award, reflecting a deep respect for heritage and the idea of building upon what already exists.

While the previous trophy, created by designer Frederik Roijé in the shape of an hourglass, depicted time as something that passes, my design interprets time as a cumulative phenomenon, where each previous moment contributes to an evolving whole.

This approach is expressed in the layered structure of the design. Instead of being empty, the new trophy embodies all past achievements of the Geurt Brinkgreve Bokaal. It consists of 19 glass layers, each containing the floor plan, name, and year of the previous winners, arranged chronologically from 2006 to 2024.

Each year, a new layer will be added to celebrate the latest winner, contributing to this growing and evolving structure. In this way, the trophy continues to transform and renew itself while preserving the ongoing legacy of the Geurt Brinkgreve Bokaal.

The choice of window glass is both symbolic and functional. In renovation and redevelopment, glass is an essential material: previously enclosed buildings are often opened up with transparent facades that bring in more light and create open views of the interior. In response to this, my design explores the relationship between glass and daylight, subtly highlighting themes of visibility, transparency, reflection, and depth.

The new Geurt Brinkgreve Bokaal Trophy is not awarded to an individual but to a team, typically consisting of an architectural firm, project developers, artists, and other collaborators. It took a team to build it, and soon—since the trophy is made of glass and will grow heavier each year—it will take a team to lift it!