Winter School 2019 - Clay City

Clay City: Making the imaginary possible

Clay City:

Making the imaginary possible

Jan Richard Kikkert•Introduction

The Academy of Architecture is one of the faculties of the Amsterdam University of the Arts. Within this framework, the artistic side of the profession plays an important role in preparing our students to create our future building environment and landscapes. The fact that we’re part of a larger organization, and thanks to the Artist in Residence program of the Amsterdam University of the Arts, gives us the unique opportunity to invite the most profound artists in the world as artists in residence. As a result, different parts of the world are increasingly forming the context of our operations.

For this Winter School, we looked for an artist that fits in the great visionary tradition of Giovanni Battista Piranesi.

Therefore we are happy and proud that the Russian architect and artist Alexander Brodsky will spend time to work with us in our academy. The academy serves as a vessel that carries creative people from all over the world, and will be the mental and physical context of the creation of a new masterpiece by Brodsky.

In the work that Brodsky produced together with Ilya Utkin, a world of thinking unfolds in magnificent drawings. Drawings in which time, place and memory play an important role.

This Winter School gives us the opportunity to experience the creation of a new piece in the string of works of Brodsky.

Thereby, each student will make a fragment of an imaginary city build up from materialized fragments of each individual memory. Together, you will make whole new imaginary possible.

5

Alexander Brodsky•Biography

Alexander Brodsky, born in Moscow in 1955, lives and works in Moscow. He is the son of artist, book illustrator and architect Savva Brodsky (1923—1982). Brodsky graduated from the Moscow Institute of Architecture in 1978 before first receiving international acclaim in the 1980s with his utopian etchings, and was a key member of the so-called Paper Architects. In 1990 Brodsky travelled to New York and then moved there in 1996 to work on public projects as well as installations. Four years later he returned to Moscow where he practices freely as an architect.

Exhibitions include the Venice Biennale, 2016; Tchoban Foundation, Berlin, 2015; Moscow Biennale of contemporary Art, 2013; Calvert 22, London, 2012; Architekturzentrum Wien, Vienna, 2011; Musée du Louvre, Paris, 2010; Fondazione Sandretto, Torino, 2008; Espace Loius Vuitton, Paris, 2007; Venice Biennale, 2006; Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, 2006.

Aside from private collections, Alexander Brodsky’s works are part of Tate Modern and MoMA collections.1

1

https://www.bettsproject.com/alexander-brodsky-reliefs/

7

Alexander Brodsky•Architect and Artist

Alexander Brodsky has come to occupy an unique position within current events. He realises better than anyone that the field of architecture can only exist in the cultural tradition.

He looks back and forward at the same time. The continuous relationship between history, culture and future is visibly present with him. He reconstructs by reusing, as a result of which he observes the past, while also simultaneously giving direction to the new. In this way, he contributes to determining the position of architects.

Brodsky is beloved and popular among the connoisseurs. He is an important and major architect, not only in Russia, but also worldwide. He combines drawing with architecture by unleashing his imagination on the architectural school of thought. This imagination is important to you as a student: you often walk around with many ideas, but it is not always that easy to visualise these ideas. Brodsky can play a major role in learning to imagine. How do you as a student translate ideas further than your own head?

Brodsky gives locations and buildings a new significance by showing new interpretations. He builds with the past, present and the future in his designs. He has previously been in the Netherlands for a longer period of time and therefore already has knowledge of our past, in particular the history of Amsterdam. The strong historical link between the Netherlands and Russia goes a long way back, to the time of Tsar Peter the Great in the 17th and 18th Century, as Tsar Peter studied in the Netherlands in order to transform Russia into a modern state.

In addition to his drawing talent, Brodsky is also a real-life architect who works with physical fragments from historical buildings. For example, he lends meaning to existing architecture or he makes new pavilions. He has a great graphic curiosity and the ability – just with small interventions – to make you reconsider the existing built environment.

9

Assignment Winter School

Alexander Brodsky is not only familiar with Amsterdam, but also with the Academy of Architecture. He already visited us for a lecture in 2012 at the invitation of the former head of Architecture Machiel Spaan. Brodsky has an enormous reputation among students. They put him forward as one of their heroes who they would like to meet and hear speak one time.

During the Eurotour that went to Moscow in the summer of 2018, a visit was paid to Brodsky’s studio. That is where the discussion about the Winter School began. Brodsky talked about his love for the Netherlands and Amsterdam, and was enthusiastic about the idea of building something beautiful with approximately 140 students. And so the Winter School took form!

You will collaborate on one project as a collective group.

Jan-Richard Kikkert believes it is important that students learn to collaborate and thinks the Winter School is the ideal opportunity to do this with a large group. The idea is that you can make something together that far exceeds the individual in order to achieve an end result to be proud of.

11

Assignment Winter School

During the Winter School, Brodsky will take the following step in a series which he is engaged in: the expression of imagination and working with clay. He has already been working with the material clay since 1999. An exhibition text about Brodsky in relation to clay reads as follows: “Back in his beloved Moscow since 2000, he has continued to work across the boundaries of art and architecture, completing a number of pavilions, interiors and galleries, while also exhibiting drawings and large relief models in his now signature unfired clay. Brodsky’s architecture remains restrained, blurring the line between art and architecture, combining low cost, local and reused materials to produce buildings that are both traditional and modern. His unfired clay artworks as well as his buildings act as a reminder of the fragility of the city.

As Thomas Weaver continues from his recent published interview, Alexander Brodsky has been working with unfired clay since 1999. ‘Clay seems to be the most perfect Brodsky material – perhaps even more so than the copper of the etching plate – because of its ability to hold within it a series of memories.’ Brodsky adds, ‘The memory aspect is definitely a big part of its appeal. This is why I never wanted to fire the clay pieces I made, because when you put it in a kiln you kill it, you remove the ability to rehydrate it and make it into something new. Clay is just such a wonderful material, the most fragile thing you could imagine, yet so interesting.’”

This aspect of memory will also, therefore, be an important part of the Winter School. It is not only about the memory of the modelled clay (the form that clay automatically assumes if it is unfired), but also about the memory of the creator. Human memory is a fascinating force, which works better than we estimate ourselves sometimes. In addition, memory is not only factual, but also has an emotional charge.

13

Assignment Winter School

Memory is going to be used by asking you to make buildings that mean a lot to you out of clay, without searching for an image or photo of the building. You will work on the basis of your memories alone when modelling the buildings. The expected result is that the buildings will not necessarily look like they do in reality, but that certain aspects, which are evidently deemed to be important by the maker (the things that stuck in their minds the most), will be given a more prominent role.

In addition to working with clay, learning to handle imagination and looking will be trained. You will be asked to make portraits of each other and yourselves. It is also possible that certain characteristics will unconsciously be magnified in the drawing.

It is also a unique way to get to know your fellow students.

Brodsky sees clay as a fragile material, as stated in the exhibition text. In a certain sense, Amsterdam is also a fragile city, which has to do with a large population in a small surface area. The historic city centre contrasts with new areas like the Westerdok and the Oosterdok. Out of all the clay buildings that the students model from their memory, an imaginary city will be built, which relates to Moscow and Amsterdam, as new buildings have transformed them into modern cities. Portraits of people will subsequently serve as the imaginary residents of this imaginary city. The aim is to express the concepts ‘thinking, growing, building and reflecting’, for both Brodsky and you as students. Together you will build something that occupies a place in the cultural-historical history of Amsterdam and Moscow; a project that has a broad impact, based on memories from the countries of origin of our international student population.

15

Assignment Winter School

It is therefore important to have all those collaborating as close to each other as possible at a historic location in Amsterdam: a breeding ground where the course will change on the spot and where new possibilities will continuously arise and can be tested. The clay city will therefore be built in the inner courtyard of the Academy of Architecture.

In order to immerse and embed you more in Amsterdam and Moscow, there will be screenings of films that play out in these cities. A film that is shown about Moscow on the recommendation of Brodsky, is July Rain (1967). Besides that, different fragments of movies about Amsterdam will be shown.

The focus in this Winter School will lie on individual expression, collaborating and how one’s own creative expression converges with that of another. The Academy of Architecture asked socalled facilitators to coach you during the Winter School. They mostly have a background in architecture and other different but relevant disciplines. They will encourage you to think outside the box. You will work with other students in the same room the entire Winter School, so the group division is based on the room division. Each of you will clay buildings individually.

All buildings will be photographed before they come together.

17

14 JAN

15 JAN

16 JAN

Monday 14 January: Start at 19:00, 19:00 to 22:30 program,

Tuesday 15 January:

Wednesday 16 January:

at the Uilenburgersjoel

19:30 sharp to 22:30, start at

19:30 sharp to 22:30 at the

(Nieuwe Uilenburgerstraat 91)

the Academy for all groups

Academy for all groups

• Opening by Madeleine

• Group 1-6: screening of the

• Group 7-12: screening of the

Maaskant and Jan Richard

movie about Amsterdam in

movie about Amsterdam in

Kikkert

our Academy

our Academy

• Opening lecture by Alexander Brodsky • Explaining assignment Winter School and introducing facilitators by Jan Richard Kikkert

Outline program

• Group 1-6: screening

• Group 7-12: screening

of the movie July Rain

of the movie July Rain

about Moscow in the Film

about Moscow in the Film

Academy

Academy

• Make buildings out of clay from your memory

• Make buildings out of clay from your memory

17 JAN

18 JAN

19 JAN

Thursday 17 January:

Friday 18 January:

Saturday 19 January:

19:30 to 22:30, start at the

09:30 to 18:00 at the Academy

09:30 to 17:30 at the Academy

• Evaluation First & Second

• Lecture by artist and

Academy • Lecture about the memory

by Martijn Meeter • Start with building the contours of the city + building/claying

year students of the first

architect Carlijn Kingma

semester

about her work

• Drawing with artist Robbie Cornelissen • Building/Claying

• Drawing with Carlijn Kingma • Work further on imaginary city • Wrap up: looking back at first week and look ahead to second week

19

20 JAN

21 JAN

22 JAN

Sunday 20 January:

Monday 21 January:

Tuesday 22 January:

DAY OFF

19:30 to 22:30 at the Academy

19:30 to 22:30 at the Academy

• Reflection from Brodsky on

• Work further on imaginary

the process until then

city + Making sketches of

• Work further on imaginary

persons in the imaginary

city: installing + drawing

Outline program

city

23 JAN

24 JAN

25 JAN

Wednesday 23 January:

Thursday 24 January:

Friday 25 January:

19:30 to 22:30 at the Academy

19:30 to 22:30 at the Academy

09:30 to 17:00 at the Academy

• Work further on imaginary

• Work further on imaginary

• Morning: prepare for final

city + Making sketches of

city, getting ready for final

persons in the imaginary

presentation

city

presentations • Cleaning up the building • Afternoon: public presentations and discussion about end result led by Alexander Brodsky

21

Daria Naugolnova Daria Naugolnova graduated in 2006 in Russia. In 2007 she came to the Netherlands and graduated there in 2016 from the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture. Her graduation project was about new housing typology, based on research on what kind of housing type is currently lacking.

Daria has been working as an architect in the Netherlands for ten years now, working on various projects of different scales at ‘ACAMPO architecten’. Recently she was invited to teach in Russia. Daria and her colleague Alexey Boev are currently doing research on what kind of new functions the Palaces of Culture of the Soviet Union can receive. Daria is also assistant in preparation of the Winter School.

In order to motivate and inspire you, we invited facilitators to assist Alexander Brodsky in guiding you through the project.

Facilitators

Alexey Boev

Lada Hrsak

Alexey Boev studied architecture at the

Bureau LADA is an Amsterdam-based studio

Amsterdam Academy of Architecture. His

for architectural innovation making distinctive

graduation project ‘Reopening Democracy’

and contemporary work. Established in 2010

received an audience award at the graduation

by Croatian-Dutch architect and urbanist Lada

show in 2018. Prior to coming to the Netherlands,

Hršak, the studio embraces cross-disciplinary

Alexey finished his education in architecture in

intelligence. Combination of solid knowledge

Russia and gained five years of relevant working

of architectural and urban practices, with the

experience on various projects there. Currently,

exploration into adjacent territories of sociology,

he works at Neutelings Riedijk Architects in

ecology, science and art results in pronounced

Rotterdam. The office focuses on complex public

designs and interventions. Following her training

and mixed-use buildings in Europe. Alexey is

at the Faculty of Architecture at the University of

combining a clear programmatic structure with

Zagreb, Lada Hršak completed the postgraduate

artistic expression in his work. Along with the

program at The Berlage Institute in Amsterdam.

work at the office, he and Daria Naugolnova are

Parallel to the design work, she holds several

together initiating and leading architectural

teaching engagements (Royal Academy of the

research and workshops in Russia. At the

Arts The Hague KABK, Academy of Architecture

moment, they are involved in research on ways

Amsterdam, Delft University of Technology,

to regenerate typical Soviet House of Culture

Academy of Architecture Rotterdam, Faculty

buildings, to turn them from abandoned shells to

of Architecture Auckland University) and is a

local points of attraction.

member of the Advisory Committee for the Dutch Creative Industries Fund.

23

Annette Bos Annette studied architecture at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture. She graduated with ‘About Walls and Other Freedoms’, which was nominated for Archiprix 2018. Her fascination about new interpretations of cultural heritage is visible in this research into the former panopticon prison in Haarlem. The central question was how this unique ensemble of buildings of historic value can continue to exist and receive new meaning without forfeiting its essence. She currently works as an architect at Team V Architectuur.

Facilitators

Sweder Spanjer

Marlies Boterman

Sweder studied architecture at the Amsterdam

Marlies Boterman is a London-based architect

Academy of Architecture. He graduated in 2016

and furniture maker. She has been employed

with his poetic project ‘Voor Altijd op Reis’ on

by among others OMA, Inside Outside and

the island of Terschelling in the north of the

Sevil Peach. In her work as an architect she is

Netherlands. Due the fact he is also an building

keen to explore and integrate other fields such

engineer, he loves the pragmatic building

as photography, furniture making, ceramics

process of architecture. Right after the Archiprix

and art. Marlies is particularly interested in

nomination of his graduation project, he started

the use of local, bio-degradable materials as

his own office NORD OF. He approaches his

part of the solution to a more sustainable and

projects with poetic pragmatism. Narratives and

meaningful way of designing. In her teaching

daily routines play a big role when designing.

Marlies motivates students to explore their own

Currently he is working on a large residential area,

fascinations and talents in order to achieve a

a beach pavilion and a starbarn and night garden

more singular expression in their design. Marlies

(a place to fully experience the dark at night), all

also coordinates the minor in architecture at the

in the north.

Amsterdam Academy of Architecture.

25

Martijn Meeter Martijn Meeter is professor in education sciences at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU). He gained his PhD in psychology at the competing University of Amsterdam (UvA), and then went on to do a postdocship at Rutgers University, NJ, on classical conditioning. After that he started working at VU, supported among others by Veni and Vidi grants from the Dutch Science Foundation (NWO).

Since 2015 he is director of the LEARN research institute, and of the teacher training program of the VU. His research focuses on learning and memory, and makes use of both classic methods of education research, and techniques of cognitive neuroscience such as computational modelling and EEG. He has also done research with clinical populations, and organized surveys in several African countries.

Guests

Robbie Cornelissen

Carlijn Kingma

Robbie Cornelissen was initially trained as a

Carlijn Kingma is an Amsterdam based researcher

biologist and did not start drawing until later

and artist. In November 2016 she graduated

in life, attending the Gerrit Rietveld Academie

from Delft University of Technology at the

in Amsterdam in the 1980s. He believes his

faculty of Architecture. But although she felt

background in biology has benefited his art. His

highly attracted to the architectural practice,

work depicts ‘inner worlds’, taking the viewer

she chose to be an architect in an alternative

on a journey through the artist’s memories and

way. Behind her drawing table, she tries to

thoughts. The spaces Cornelissen depicts are

create worlds in order to understand the world

mental spaces, metaphors for the human mind.

around us. Fictional, philosophical, historical,

Cornelissen erases a lot, some forms are only

but most of all architectural worlds full of ideas,

temporary, fading later, or disappearing entirely,

stories and suggestions. The worlds reflect on,

and so the drawing shows traces of the process by

contest or question modern society. They have

which it was created. In the end, the entire sheet

multiple dimensions, mapping social, political

is covered with pencil lines. There is a lot of action

and power structures around us, and although

in each single drawing, which induces a slight

they are fictional, they are also recognizable and

trance-like effect as the viewer attempts to follow

readable through the metaphorical language

the various elements. The fact that Cornelissen

of architecture. The fictional worlds become

expresses his thoughts directly on paper gives his

alternative maps to understand the real world

work a certain authenticity. Indeed, his body of

and navigate through her, they could help us find

work can be seen as one long story, an entire inner

our way home, or prevent us from getting lost

world in itself.

inside the contradictions and the complexity of modernity.

27

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Balkenzaal Rechts

Room 106

Room 108

• Al-dayri, Usama

• Timan, Anne Floor

• Sanz, Magali

• Vruwink, Susanne

• Thoen, Lesley

• Salmi, Noury

• Zwaans, Laurien

• Tang, Ianthe

• Rothuizen, Jasmijn

• Zenaldin, Shady

• Strickmann, Shahaf

• Rebel, Simon

• Yang, Qian

• Stortelder, Jesse

• Pulido Garzon, Henry

• Wissing, Mike

• Soret, Léa

• Postma, Wieger

• Ubink, Menno

• Selvarajah, Abbi

• Pokun, Heenah

• Kollia, Venetia

• Solovejus, Martynas

• Pessoa, Ana Barbara

• Hulsebosch, Niels

• Barbosa, Ana Luisa

• Pauw, Ilona (HER)

• Wartenbergh, Sophie

• Fraser, Gavin

• Gallas, Eduard

• Koote, Luuk

• Soeters, Merle

• Al Hajali, Hussain

Group 7

Group 8

Group 9

Room 105

Room 107

Room 302

• Werfhorst, Gerrit van de

• So, Loretta

• Özgen, Fatih

• Wu, Irene

• Smalen, Valerie

• Oude Monnink, Bram

• Verstappen, Monique

• Silva Costa, Pedro

• Nugter, Krijn

• Vermeer, Tom

• Timmerman, Vito

• Noordover, Matthijs

• Vergeer, Mark

• Marconcin, Augusto

• Nijland, Kinke

• Torres, Anna

• Rodenburg, Roosje

• Nicanci, Mustafa

• Veen, Robbertjan van

• Schutte, Dian

• Lulzac, Vincent

• Tuinman, Max

• Schuitmaker, Laurens

• Mulder, Sanne

• Dicker Quintino, Alice

• Schouten, Tessa

• Mulder, Charlotte

• Eussen, Myrna

• Engelchor, Jelle

• Krietemeijer, Stefanie

• Eck, Daniël van

• Scholten, Susanna

• Eeden, Sophie van

• Traag, Ritger

• Mousch, Daan van

Division of the working spaces at the Academy

Group 4

Group 5

Group 6

Room 303

Room 402

Balkenzaal Links

• Morozov, Artjom

• Caudron, Julie

• Begeer, Rosalie

• Melazzi, Ginevra

• Caspers, Wim

• Bazzolo, Matilde

• Mcgrath, Sian

• Cali, Thea

• Battista Ferrarese,

• Visser, Maurice

• Brugmans, Suzanne

• Mazza, Francesca

• Broers, Dennis

• Bakel, Yvette van

• Amelsvoort, Joep van

• Demilt, Anne-Roos

• Azizova, Ayla

• Neeleman, Kasper

• Blouw, Maike

• Amanupunnjo, Jeroa

• Mabuchi, Daiki

• Bērziņš, Miks

• Allen, Blake

• Kok, Danny

• Bern, Anna

• MacPhee, Abigail

• Lunenburg, Iris

• Berg, Sven

• Kleinjan, Janine

• Luchi Camilotti, Maiara

• Kirschbaum, Evgenia

• Koelink, Floris

Giovanni

• El Chaer, Tina • Koe, Vyasa

Group 10

Group 11

Group 12

Room 304

Room 311

Room 401

• Lodder, Tom

• Hooiveld, Maurits

• Duin, Anne-Marije van

• Linden, Robert-Jan van

• Heydorn Gorski, Jacob

• Dominiak, Paulina

• Hendrickx, Floor

• Doesburg, Marlies

• Frargy, Hagar El

• Heeswijk, Inge van

• Lentjes, Evie

• Lee, Jungmin

• Hartman, Bob

• Dobretsova, Elena

• Damen, Roy

• Hart, Daisy

• Lode, Kilian

• Lange, Maro

• Greuter, Milo

• Diaz Hurtado, Chrishtian

• Laan, Niene

• Gramsma, Reinier

• Bjelland, Tale

• Kallen, Art

• Gomez Rueda, German

• Deuzen, Anouk van

• Istel, Jacoba

• Ghys, Sofie

• Azmy, Sherif

• Khozina, Maria

• Gijsen, Sander

• Chaman Zadeh, Farimah

der

• Laaken, Arthur van der

29

Colophon

The Winter School 2019 was made possible thanks to the contribution of: • Curator Alexander Brodsky (artist in residence 2018-2019) • The first and second year students of the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture • Amsterdam University of the Arts – Artist in Residence progamme, with a special thanks to Marijke Hoogenboom and Eleonora van Vloten • Martijn Troost and Ruben Dahmen for making the podium in the courtyard for the imaginary city • The staff of the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture, especially Jan-Richard Kikkert (head of architecture), Patricia Ruisch (education manager) and Nina Knaack (educational project coordinator) Booklet design by Alexey Boev ©

Amsterdam, January 2019

31

Winter School 2019