Public programme on top of Amsterdam’s oldest building

The Garden Which is the Nearest to God by Taturo Atzu (under construction)

From 26 June to 6 September, commissioned by the Oude Kerk, Japanese artist Taturo Atzu (formerly known as Tatzu Nishi) will be presenting a temporary platform on the roof of Amsterdam’s oldest building. He offers visitors a unique vista of the red light district while simultaneously giving access to an architectural domain normally hidden from public view. For ten weeks The Garden Which is the Nearest to God – a summery panorama terrace – transforms the roof of the Oude Kerk into an exhilarating attraction; its unorthodox function offering us new sights and insights. Troughout the summer Non-fiction will be curating a public programme, based on Atzu’s installation.

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Contribution to New Farms for Expo workshop in Milan

Cascina Sant’Ambrogio in Milan

This June, Non-fiction’s partner Michiel van Iersel will participate in the New Farms for Expo workshop, organised by New Generations, in which designers from over the world are going to collaborate on a vision of the reuse of abandoned in-urban farm houses, the Milanes ‘cascines’. This connects to the overall theme of the EXPO Milano 2015,”Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”.

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New studio space

The Non-fiction studio is now situated in one of the buildings attached to the Oude Kerk, the oldest building in Amsterdam in the heart of the historic inner city. You enter the space from Oudekerksplein. Our back door gives direct access to the church’s main hall. We are happy to share our studio space with strategy consultant and business developer Roel van Herpt and graphic designer Maarten Kanters.

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Documenting six years of underground culture

Situated on the Wibautstraat in the east of Amsterdam, Trouw was a nightclub, music venue, cultural space and restaurant housed in the former newspaper printing facility of several national newspapers. Trouw combined food, music and the arts, and was the first nightclub to receive the 24-hour permit from the city of Amsterdam. After six years of experimenting and over time slowly establishing itself as one of the top nightlife and cultural venues in the city and beyond, Trouw closed its doors on 3 January 2015.

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Opinion piece on Domus website

Read the whole article on the Domus website

Opinion article in NRC newspaper

In an opinion article in Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad, Michiel van Iersel responds to recent articles by Melle Daamen, the director of the Stadsschouwburg theatre in Amsterdam and member of the Council for Culture. Daamen criticises the cultural sector in the Netherlands for its inability to adapt to changes in society and to the funding cuts. In his reaction, Michiel argues that Daamen is overlooking and even excluding a new generation of artists and cultural producer who are constantly re-inventing the arts. Instead he should try to understand their motivations and actions.

The image below shows the original article (in Dutch). Screenshot via Blende.

Included in new book ‘Reactivate!’

Although we’re non-architects, Non-fiction is included in the new book ‘Reactivate! Innovators of Dutch Architecture’, written by Indira van ‘t Klooster and published by Trancity*Valiz, together with a.o. DUS Architects, FABRIC, Powerhouse Company, Space&matter, Superuse Studios and ZUS Architects.

Find more information here.

We’re featured in the chapter that deals with ‘performative urbanism’ and our FloriadeRadar-app, showing local interaction on social media on a map, has been highlighted.

Bureau Europa in the city of Maastricht is devoting an exhibition to the book. In addition to the offices mentioned in the book, the exhibition will include several other offices, including Rietveld Landscape and XML Architecture Research Urbanism. The opening of this exhibition/manifestation will take place on June 8 between 17 – 19 hours at  Bureau Europa, Timmerfabriek, Boschstraat 9, Maastricht.  

16 november: The Future Studio-symposium

On the role of the studio : past, present and future

Friday 16 November, 10:00 – 17:00, De Hallen Haarlem

De Hallen Haarlem and the Kees Verwey Foundation proudly present the symposium ‘The Future Studio’, in which the artist’s studio will be discussed from various angles and from both an historical perspective and with an eye on the future. With contributions by theorists, artists and other art professionals who will present their views on contemporary studio practices, the symposium aims to generate new perspectives on the future of the studio in all its diversity.

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