Amsterdam has always been a city I love. Its historical center, an intricate network of canals lined with stunning 17th-century brick-built townhouses of restrained and minimal interiors, appeals to my sense of aesthetics. Rich in history, the city allows me to indulge in many of my passions. A visit to the Rijksmuseum to see their fine collection of Rembrandts, Van Dycks and Frans Hals, to name but a few, is always a must, while exploring the numerous antique shops that scatter the city has always provided many a bargain.

As much as Amsterdam celebrates its history, it is nonetheless a city that looks clearly to the future.

My reason for visiting Amsterdam this time is to see the unveiling of Stedelijk BASE, a new exhibition concept developed by AMO / Rem Koolhaas and Federico Martelli for this leading contemporary art and design museum.

In 2012, the Stedelijk opened a new extension designed by Dutch architects Bentham Crouwel, which was immediately referred to as "the tub" because of its close visual similarity to a molded bathtub. After just a few years, the museum decided to amp up the wing, giving new purpose to what was once primarily a bookshop, café, and temporary exhibition space.

Works in various media together in a concept image for Stedelijk BASE. Photo: Gert-Jan van Rooij

Rem Koolhaas was a natural choice for the project. He has been visiting the Stedelijk since he was 12 years old and refers to it as his university, crediting it for shaping his sense of aesthetics. For its reinvention, Koolhaas and Martelli developed a concept that at once references the history of Dutch art and looks to its future.

As Koolhaas points out over lunch at the museum, since painting has continually increased in value over the years, there is a notion of how it needs to be displayed. Uninspired plaster walls have become the most ubiquitous material in museum interiors. Koolhaas wants to undo this tradition, making a display that is less polite and less politically correct. Particularly inspired by the 1963 exhibition of Francis Bacon at Stedelijk, he was drawn to the temporary-looking structures supporting some of Bacon's finest works. Convinced that he wanted ultra-thin walls for his installation (even if they could have an art fair connotation), the architect called upon Tata Steel Nederland to collaborate in making the supports he envisaged.