Who makes the city of Almere? That’s the central question during the architecture festival Making Almere from April 21 until July 29, 2012. The event takes place in Almere as part of the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR). The International New Town Institute is curator of the satellite exhibition Making Almere.
The festival Making Almere is about the way the new town of Almere will transfrom in the future. In the 1970s, the city was on the drawing boards of several professional designers and planners—without any input from residents. Now, those are roles are reversed. Today, the youngest city in the Netherlands is a leader in the development of a new form of urbanism: one where the inhabitants of Almere build their own city. How is this shift constituted and what form do these urban developments take? The exhibition reveals the step-by-step development of Almere from a completely top-down planned city in the ’70s, up to the future image of Almere as a “testing ground of deregulation”, in which the relationship between the municipal government and the citizen is redefined. Visitors are challenged to experiment with the future of Oosterwold in various ways, including a large, interactive model in the exhibition area.
Come check it out!
Tours
Making Almere will be the starting point for different tours and routes through the city. Visitors can explore the city on their own with the specially developed application for smartphones or with a paper guide. Every Saturday there will be tours accompanied by specialized guides.
Activities
Within the exhibition space, different activities will take place regularly. Making Almere will act as the venue for organizations within the city to hold meetings, discussions, workshops, networking receptions, presentations, lectures, speeches, receptions, (international) guests, educational purposes, reunions, political meetings, brainstorming sessions and more.
Making Almere Mobile
Residents and city makers also belong to the collection of Making Almere. During the fourteen weeks of Making Almere, each week a new building, district or place in the city will be put in the spotlight in a playful manner. With the Making Almere Mobile, the exhibition comes to the residents of different areas every Saturday and asks the question: "Who makes the city? You?" Each city maker is literally added to the collection of Making Almere and receives a unique proof of their participation.
Making Almere is part of the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam 2012 (IABR 2012) and is made possible by the Ministerie van Infrastructuur & Milieu (RRAAM), the city council of Almere, and Almere City Marketing.
For more information (in Dutch) click here.
