Here stands the Gebroken Cirkel. Ad Dekkers created this sculpture. It is not just concrete. It is a story frozen in time.
This sculpture named Cirkels appeared in 1976. Dekkers did not live to see its installation. It became his largest work at 12 meters. The Cirkels is part of his exploration of shapes like squares and circles.
Originally, the Gebroken Cirkel stood near the Kohnstammhuis. People quickly nicknamed it De Ring. Others called it Het Gat van Duisenberg. This referred to a budget deficit when Wim Duisenberg was Minister of Finance. Some saw a large spring washer. Others saw rolled-up rails. This hinted at the former Amsterdam Weesperpoort station.
A one-percent rule made the Gebroken Cirkel possible. This rule allocated 1% of building costs to public art. The original design was a perfect circle. But, technically it was not achievable. Also, it was not financially possible. So the inner and outer rings use straight lines. These lines twist. The beginning and end do not meet at the bottom.
After twenty-five years, the Gebroken Cirkel had to move. The Mauritskade needed space. A sewage pumping station was planned. New buildings for the Hogeschool van Amsterdam were also planned. In 2003, the entire sculpture moved to Amsterdam-West. It weighs 165 tons. It now sits on an elevation. This is near the junction of Spaarndammerdijk, Transformatorweg, and Nieuwe Hemweg.
Interestingly, there is also a smaller version of Gebroken Cirkel. You can find it at Kasteel Wijlre in Limburg.
Think about the artist’s vision. Consider the challenges of bringing it to life. Imagine the public’s reaction. The Gebroken Cirkel is more than art. It is a reflection of Amsterdam’s history and ingenuity.