Nine + One

The young offices presented under the ominous title Nine + One seem at first sight to present an odd mixture. Rather than any collective concern, it is their youth and a display of individuality that is the common denominator. This reflects a situation which is above all characterized by a great diversity which has so far prevented the formation of schools or groups of architects attempting to define their approach collectively. The inhibition to producing collective statements must be regarded as a reaction against the almost obsessive collectivist tendencies that have dominated Hollands’s architectural landscape for much of this century.
” Having been raised on a diet of video clips, Holland’s new talent acts like the architectural equivalent of boy bands cracking the top 40. They share a sense of knowing innocence combined with a heroic lust for the provocative and the experimental, neither exactly a characteristic feature of the ancient métier that is architecture. ” (Christoph Grafe, Catalogue Nine+One)

Opening:
Kristin Feireiss, Director of the NAI, Netherlands Architecture Institute, Rotterdam
Dietmar Steiner, Director of the Architekturzentrum Wien, Vienna

Press Release

The young offices presented under the ominous title Nine + One seem at first sight to present an odd mixture. Rather than any collective concern, it is their youth and a display of individuality that is the common denominator. This reflects a situation which is above all characterized by a great diversity which has so far prevented the formation of schools or groups of architects attempting to define their approach collectively. The inhibition to producing collective statements must be regarded as a reaction against the almost obsessive collectivist tendencies that have dominated Hollands’s architectural landscape for much of this century.

Interestingly, this strong sense of individuality does not spring from the idiosyncrasies of soloist artistic personalities. In fact, all but two of the ten offices are run collectively by two or more architects. The decision to leave behind the traditional model and career of the independent architect has been a significant factor in the early blossoming of these offices. Traditionally, architecture is a profession of old men. In both career structure and presentation, the Nine + One architects could not be more different.

This is a truly unique development, from both a historical and an international perspective. It has been made possible by a deliberate architectural policy on the part of the Dutch government combined with a generous system of start-up and working grants established to enable young architects to set up a practice and survive the difficult first years. These grants together with strong showings in European competitions provide opportunities unknown to fledging offices elsewhere in Europe. Almost all the selected offices have in some way benefited from the grants or the European programme. The ten offices MAX.1, VMX, René van Zuuk, Bosch.Haslett, NOX, MVRDV, MARX.STEKETEE, Endry van Velzen, NL Architects and de SCHIE show an average age of 35 years. Their CV’s reflect the wide range of architecture and contain projects from furniture design to enormous housing projects.

The Architekturzentrum Wien is presenting this exhibition which was produced by the Netherlands Architecture Institute in order to emphasize on the extremely interesting situation of young architects in Holland and compare this with current Austrian problems. On the occasion of a symposion Dutch and Austrian architects, politicians and journalists will be confronted with the obvious questions: Why do Dutch architects get to build at an age where Austrians are still ages away from doing the same? Is it due to the insufficient support or is it a general mistrust of young architects?

The “Nine +One”

An even more extensive list (incl. Projects, Publications, i.e.) of all the ten offices can be downloaded as an RTF – Document (Englisch). (File Size: 23 kb)

BOSCH HASLETT
HygiÎaplein 7
1076 RN Amsterdam
t / f ++31 (0) 20 676 02 02
e-mail:bharch@euronet.nl

Marx & Steketee
Architecten
Kruisstraat 82
5612 CK Eindhoven
t++31 (0) 40 244 65 68
f++31 (0) 40 244 45 91

MAX. 1
architektuur stedebouw bv.
Schiehaven 15
3024 EC Rotterdam
t ++31 (0) 10 415 29 99
f ++31 (0) 10 244 09 54

MVRDV
Schiehaven 15
3024 EC Rotterdam
t ++31 (0) 10 477 28 60
f ++31 (0) 10 477 36 27

NL Architects
Lijnbaansgracht 87
1015 GZ Amsterdam
t ++31 (0) 20 620 73 23
f ++31 (0) 20 638 61 92
e-mail:landmark@xs4all.nl

NOX
architecten
Mathenesserlaan 443
2023 GJ Rotterdam
t / f ++31 (0) 10 477 28 53
e-mail:nox@luna.nl

BURO SCHIE
Schietbaanlaan 75 b
3021 LE Rotterdam
t ++31 (0) 10 476 67 45
f ++31 (0) 10 477 83 00
e-mail:schiertm@worldaccess.nl

Endry van Velzen
Oude Delft 49
2611 BC Delft
t ++31 (0) 15 214 29 58
f ++31 (0) 15 215 94 92

VMX
Architects
Concertgebouwplein 9
1071 LL Amsterdam
t ++31 (0) 20 676 12 11
f ++31 (0) 20 676 80 48

Rene van Zuuk
Buster Keatonstraat 59
1325 CK Almere
t ++31 (0) 36 537 91 39
f ++31 (0) 36 537 92 59

Links

NAI, Netherlands Architecture Institute, Rotterdam
The official Home Page of the Netherlands Architecture Institute. (English / Dutch)

Stimuleringsfonds voor Architectuur
Home Page of the “Stimuleringsfonds voor Architectuur” for Dutch Architects. (Dutch)

ARCHINED
THE Home Page on Dutch Architecture. Many Links. (Dutch)

ARCHIS
The monthly publication of the Netherlands Architecture Institute. (English / Dutch)

010 Publishers
Home Page of the dutch architecture publishers. (English / Dutch)

MVRDV
Home Page of number 4…..

Additional links:
Dutch City Links
The name says it all.

V2
Experimental WEB-Server. (English / Dutch)