The churches are almost empty, but religion is undergoing a comeback in the city. One example is Kleiklooster, a modern-day ‘monastery’ in the 60’s apartment block Kleiburg in the Bijlmer. I met with one of the founders, Johannes van der Akker, who will also be a guest in my live talkshow Stadsleven on Sept. 27th. And… they also brew beer!
The Portuguese city of Porto was European Cultural Capital in 2001, and one of the projects that spawned was the Casa da Música by Rem Koolhaas’ OMA. It took longer than expected – it didn’t open until 2005 – and it went way over budget, from 31 million euro’s to 111 million. But the result is spectacular, combining hard materials like concrete, glass and aluminium with soft surfaces like the Noridc pine wallsof the main hall with goldleaf motifs and the lovely wavy glass wall around it. One thing did surprise me: the Soviet-style furniture along the walls. Watch my vlog and judge for yourself!
For the first time ever, the Vatican was represented at the 2018 Venice Architecture bienniale. On the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, an oasis of tranquillity just one vaporetto stop from San Marco square, ten architects from various countries were invited to build their idea of what a modern-day chapel could be.
Deze week ben ik voor het laatst als columnist te gast in het KRO-NCRV programma Spraakmakers op Radio 1, waar ik de afgelopen anderhalf jaar elke week actuele ontwikkelingen op het gebied van architectuur en stedelijk leven heb besproken. Deze week: Amsterdam krijgt de wereldprimeur van de 3D geprinte brug van staal van Joris Laarman.
Elke dinsdag ben ik voor het nieuws van 11 uur te gast in het KRO-NCRV programma Spraakmakers op Radio 1 om actuele ontwikkelingen op het gebied van architectuur en stedelijk leven te bespreken. Deze week: sterren als Kanye West, Elon Musk en Brad Pitt ontdekken de architectuur.
The Dutch pavilion at this year’s Architecture biennale in Venice was designed by The New Institute to look like a locker room, with bright orange doors that you could open to discover the secrets within. The theme was the future of work, now that everything, even sex, is being automated. In the main exhibition hall, Crimson created a thoughtful and attractive exhibition about the impact of migration on cities.