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.
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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/
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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Winter School 2019