International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam 2014: exploring the relationship between city and nature

This year's International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR) revolves around the theme Urban by Nature, examining the evolving relationship between society, cities and nature
This year's International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR) revolves around the theme Urban by Nature, examining the evolving relationship between society, cities and nature
(Image credit: Press)

Blurring the boundaries between society and nature, this year’s International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam calls for a new approach to city-making, under the curation of Dutch landscape architect Dirk Sijmons. The theme, Urban by Nature, is explored through 96 projects in the main exhibition site at the Kunsthal, next door at the Natural History Museum, and in city-wide installations and interventions laid on to coincide with the IABR.

The Kunsthal’s five exhibitions are designed by Herman Verkerk, Paul Kuipers and Michiel Zegers, with graphics by Experimental Jetset. There’s an imaginative use of pale timber raised beds (popular with vegetal growers) filled with moss, floor-to-ceiling tree trunks, and boxes of stone and sand. This ‘nature’ is juxtaposed with stainless steel shelving with exhibition boards attached, with the most eye-catching graphics being an eco-urban timeline on a vertically striped wall. 

The Natural History Museum’s show, Pure Resilience, attempts to illustrate how resilient the natural world can be in the city. The centrepiece is the faithful reconstruction of a waterborne nest that had been made by a local swan out of plastic and other urban detritus. 

Now in its second year, the ZigZagCity architecture festival is an alternative tour of the city past some delightfully quirky interventions, with the 5km route marked out in purple ribbon by Studio VollaersZwart. A good place to start is at Luchtsingel, the much-loved yellow wooden pedestrian walk-way, which has been extended since its launch at the previous biennale. It’s the work of architects Elma van Boxel and Kristian Koreman of ZUS.

Another Zigzag offering is the group of shiny red shop dummies posing along the water’s edge in front of some smart 1970s terraced housing. These figures are sunbathing, swimming and fishing, in an effort to inspire locals to do the same.

Meanwhile, in the central neighbourhood of Blaakse Bos, Piet Blom’s curious 1984 Cube Houses have had a landscaping make-over. Landscape architects Landlab have decked out the walkways with hundreds of potted plants to create a ‘green route’ from the Binnenrotte to the Oudehaven.

This route takes visitors past Rotterdam studio MVRDV’s vast and impressive Markthal. Billed as the Netherland’s first indoor market, it opens on 1 October. The Netherlands Tourist Bureau is expecting it to attract 50,000 tourists a year.

On a more modest level, the temporary pavilion commissioned by Het Nieuwe Institut back in Museum Park hopes to inspire debate about future living conditions. Bjarne Mastenbroek, founder of Rotterdam architects SeARCH, asked himself: ’What is the minimum you need for maximum quality of life?’ His answer is Yourtopia, a lawn-covered dome whose interiors are empty except for a centrepiece of lush foliage below the skylight.

IABR’s director George Brugmans is already mulling 2016’s theme: the next economy. ’Design can help us find alternative routes to the future,’ he believes.

Lots of display monitor on the show

The main display cluster, located at the Kunsthal, includes an impressive 96 projects, all related to the theme 

(Image credit: Press)

A view from the upper sky

A bird's eye view of Rotterdam Zuid, as proposed by design studios James Corner Field Operations and .Farbic 

(Image credit: Press)

Water in between the buildings

Several city-wide installations and interventions were put on to coincide with the IABR, including the ZigZagCity architectural festival with its 5km route marked out in purple ribbon by Studio VollaersZwart

(Image credit: Press)

Buildings and bridge that connecting it

A key ZigZagCity event is at Luchtsingel, the much-loved yellow wooden pedestrian walk-way by architects Elma van Boxel and Kristian Koreman of ZUS

(Image credit: Press)

Buildings from the upper view

The walk-way was launched at the previous biennale but has been extended since

(Image credit: Press)

Beautiful view when the light is on

The elevated walk-way is made from wood, featuring yellow accents and linking different buildings in the heart of Rotterdam 

(Image credit: Press)

Staircase and it is painted yellow in colour

The names of sponsors, who contributed to the making of the crowdfunded structure, are featured in its timber planks

(Image credit: Press)

A different architecture for the house

Meanwhile, in the central neighbourhood of Blaakse Bos, Piet Blom’s 1984 Cube Houses have had a landscaping make-over by landscape architects Landlab, who decked out the walkways with hundreds of potted plants to create a ‘green route’ from the Binnenrotte to the Oudehaven

(Image credit: Press)

Building work is in progress

This route takes visitors past Rotterdam studio MVRDV’s vast and impressive Markthal, billed as the Netherland’s first indoor market

(Image credit: Press)

Biennale Rotterdam has been scheduled to open on certain date

The market is scheduled to open on 1 October 

(Image credit: Press)

Work in progress

The Netherlands Tourist Bureau is expecting this striking structure to attract 50,000 tourists a year 

(Image credit: Press)

Its looks like house but covered with grass

The Yourtopia temporary pavilion commissioned by Het Nieuwe Institut back in Museum Park hopes to inspire debate about future living conditions. It was designed by Bjarne Mastenbroek, founder of Rotterdam architects SeARCH

(Image credit: Press)

Clare Dowdy is a London-based freelance design and architecture journalist who has written for titles including Wallpaper*, BBC, Monocle and the Financial Times. She’s the author of ‘Made In London: From Workshops to Factories’ and co-author of ‘Made in Ibiza: A Journey into the Creative Heart of the White Island’.

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