May 2012
3 posts
Senegalese visions for Amsterdam Central Station
In the context of the Dak’art 2012 Biannual, the College Universitaire d’Architecture, African Architecture Matters and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands invite you to the opening of the exhibition:
the lessons of African public space
Amsterdam Central Station Reinterpreted
Friday 18 May, 18hrs, at the residence of the Ambassador of the Netherlands, Av. des...
African spirit in and around Amsterdam Central...
(2 students of the CUAD with the architects Mbaye Sene and Cherif Chiattara during the workshop)
African public space may well provide successful solutions for public space challenges in the West – was the conclusion of the jury of the Blueprints of Paradise competition, developed by the Afrika Museum and AAmatters in 2010.
As part of the Dak’art Biannual, the College Universitaire de...
ProCredit pro environment
ProCredit Ghana is a micro finance bank, supporting many small and medium size businesses and in that sense contributing to the sustainable development of one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
ProCredit takes its catalyst position serious and [[MORE]] is not limited to finance when it comes to sustainability. Their new head offices, developed along Nsawam Road in Accra and designed...
February 2012
3 posts
Stars at the top of the Slipway stairs
(Dr. Livin Mosha, Dean of SADE of ARDHI Institute, being interviewed for ITV)
What can we learn from the most interesting spaces and public buildings of Dar es Salaam? This is what you find out, if you take the opportunity to visit the exhibition Stars of Dar, on show between 14 February and 14 March at the Slipway. At the opening night, a large group of guests and several TV crews gathered for...
January 2012
10 posts
Out of control but well in balance
(photo Elena Cattani, Jeroen van der Drift, Ivan Thung)
Half way the previous century large scale modernist mass housing was widely introduced in the world to overcome the lack of housing capacity. What many people do not know is that prior to this the city of Casablanca served as a testing ground. European architects experimented with new housing models before applying these principles...
Outer space back to the basement
(photo Roger Busschots)
The ‘Sterrewacht Leiden’ is the oldest University observatory in the world, originating from 1633. In 1861 it moved to a specificcally designed building. In the 70’s of the previous century it moved again, now to a location more suitable for modern research. In 2011 the ‘Oude Sterrewacht’ has been restored and made suitable as lectures hall for...
Talking Stars of Dar
Stars of Dar is an exhibition presenting an inventory of buildings and public spaces which play an important role in the city and represent what Dar es Salaam stands for. The presented buildings and spaces have been selected through interviews with key members – musicians, fashion designers, developers, writers - and architects of Dar’s society.
Their ideas and reflections are presented and...
'It takes a village to raise a child'
In January 2011 the competition for a community school for the island of Bonaire was launched. In May it was announced that the HL Architecture team of Lada Hrsak won the first prize, while the second prize position was taken by Attika architects.
The jury overlooked the design of the strong and multi-disciplinary team with below entry, formed by Ton Salman (KSK Architects), Maarten Boelsma (BOA...
Exchanging Challenges of Change
The 10th Docomomo conference ‘The Challenge of Change’ took place in the Van Nelle Design Factory in Rotterdam, from 16 - 19 September 2008. The conference marked the 20th anniversary of the world wide network.
Berend van der Lans was asked to boost the organisational committee in the last months towards the event. The event brought together a large number of specialists on issues of...
With stripes the shining star of the street
The direct environment of the JP Coenschool, a primary school in Amsterdam Oost, served as the perfect place for activities which cannot stand daylight. Obviously a situation which was not appreciated by nor the school nor the parents of the school kids.In collaboration with the school, the parents, the neighbours and artist Jan van der Ploeg a plan was developed to address this. We convinced...
Hidden influence at post war Netherlands
the manifestation ‘de Groep van Delft’ tells the story of a group of active students at the architecture department in Delft in the 30-s of last century and their further lives. Via a book, an exhibition, lectures, theater, fim and music performances and a debate, this until hidden part of Dutch history was brought back to life. The activities brought to the surface how the group...
African public space fruitfull inspiration between...
Africa is planning for the future. Some projects, like the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, affect the entire world, others, like the works of Pierre Goudiaby Atepa, Doual’art, or the team of Takako Tajima and Aziza Chaouni, are locally focused.
(photo Afrika Museum)
The competition Blueprints of Paradise invited architects, artists and visionaries of African descent to send in their ideas for...