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I AM MONUMENT / Den Bosch (NL)

The government is minimalizing financial support towards the Dutch army force. The force is because of all this decreasing and calling her soldiers home from frontline battles throughout the world. By decreasing the force our ammunition is decreasing. This old building was once an ammunition depot. Nowadays it lacks a function. It is merely a leftover from what once was. This project is designed and meant to revitalize this old ammunition depot by giving a new function for our homecoming soldiers. This is a place where soldiers can process their combat experiences and overcome their anxieties in a  healthy way before taking part in the civilian society again. Soldiers and veterans share their pictures, journals and stories in this museum. The surroundings of this old depot have been reset, almost like the old ammunition chamber exploded and wiped out it´s surroundings. Next to the monument is a hole in the ground which is connected through the old basements. The center court of the old ammunition depot seems to have imploded. Shells of structural glass form a roof and keep the stories of the soldiers safe. Wandering around in  the new underground museum, one can look up to the old monument with a new perspective on history. It is like the soldiers who fought and died for their country are still here and are remembering us to live in freedom. Maybe one can appreciate this present moment better, if one understands the history behind it.