The renowned Curaçaoan architect Carlos ‘Carel’ Weeber has passed away, as confirmed by his brother on Facebook. Weeber had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for some time and was 87 years old.
An influential Dutch architect, he spent most of his life in Curaçao, where he became known for designs that utilized wind for cooling instead of air conditioning. Weeber was known for his critical views of the small-scale housing of the 1970s, which he referred to as “new fussiness.” In response, he designed several monumental buildings, including the Zwarte Madonna in The Hague and De Peperklip in Rotterdam.
The Zwarte Madonna, completed in 1985, was a large residential complex demolished in 2007 to make way for new developments, much to the dismay of a small group of residents. It was part of an urban plan by Weeber for the area around Spui.
De Peperklip, finished in 1982, is a striking apartment complex shaped like a bent paperclip in the Feijenoord district, accommodating 549 residences.
Source: NOS