Bring back the Tower
At one time, the Grote Kerk boasted the tallest tower in the Netherlands. But that tower was lost. The challenging question, "How do we bring back the tower of the Academiehuis Grote Kerk ?" inspired 60 residents of Zwolle and beyond to submit a design with their idea for an iconic centerpiece in the heart of the city.
InHanseatic year 2023, 340 years after the collapse of the 113.5-meter tower, all inhabitants of Zwolle and beyond were given 100 days to submit their idea for a new "tower. This could be anything, a design, poem, drawing with explanation, model, etc. for a new landmark in the city.
The Torenberaad, a group of enthusiastic Zwolle residents, reviewed the sixty submissions to bring back the tower. During a final meeting and an exhibition, the designs that came in were displayed in the Academiehuis in early 2024.
In the meantime, the Torenberaad has started discussions with various parties. How are we going to follow up on this dream of bringing the tower back? A so-called position paper has been created that outlines the ideas for the process to take the next step. On Nov. 11, this will be presented to the group of submitters and other interested parties.
Whois behind "Bring The Tower Back?"
The Academiehuis has joined forces with a number of involved Zwolle parties and established the Tower Council. This includes Joep van der Heijden, Ida van den Hoogen, Wilco Scheffer, Henk Snel, Coby Zandbergen and Jan Watze Zijffers. The competition is their invitation to city residents with a heart for Zwolle to bring back the Lost Tower.