MVRDVHNI: The Living Archive of a Studio

MVRDVHNI: The Living Archive of a Studio is a multimedia exhibition at Het Nieuwe Instituut based on reoccurring themes and stories drawn from the “living archive” of architecture studio MVRDV.

From November 6, 2021 to September 4, 2022, Het Nieuwe Instituut (HNI) displays the MVRDV archive as a living entity in office spaces, rather than in museum galleries. As a working environment, the office is the place where ideas and projects move fluidly back and forth between present, past, and future. On Saturday, November 6, Het Nieuwe Instituut opens the exhibition MVRDVHNI with a free festive programme open to the public.

From early sketches and models to correspondence with engineers and contractors, the exhibition looks behind the scenes of both MVRDV and HNI, displaying a wealth of material and information from the analogue and digital archives. Visitors can get an insight into the design processes leading up to the realisation of buildings such as Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen and the Dutch pavilion at the 2000 World Expo in Hannover. In parallel, Het Nieuwe Instituut illustrates how it manages the MVRDV archive, from metres of shelves containing models, drawings and documents, to the digital infrastructure required to unlock a digital archive.

Aric Chen, Het Nieuwe Instituut General and Artistic Director says, “This exhibition sheds light on the dynamic workings of one of the most innovative architecture studios today, and how a dialogue between the firm, its archive, researchers, and others can further enrich our understanding of the possibilities of architectural practice.”

“This exhibition shows how our first 400 projects influenced later work,” says MVRDV partner Jan Knikker. “We think it’s important that our archive is accessible to everyone. Sharing knowledge makes our profession richer, which is why the HNI curators regularly worked in our offices during the preparations. I also think that this exhibition provides depth to people who visit Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen that we designed. It’s not a coincidence that the exhibition opens on the same day.”

In addition to the exhibition, Het Nieuwe Instituut invited Alice Bucknell, Carl Rethmann, Eline Wieland, Giacomo Nanni and Francesca Morini, MVRDV NEXT, and Namelok, to design tools to search, visualise, and utilise the immense digital archive. It could take months to search for a specific item in the kilometre-long physical archive, but this can be done in seconds in a digital archive. The exhibition is curated by Het Nieuwe Instituut (Ludo Groen, Marten Kuijpers, and Suzanne Mulder), and designed by MVRDV and Geoff Han. 

MVRDV
International architectural firm MVRDV, based in Rotterdam, offers contemporary solutions for architecture, urban planning, and landscape architecture around the world. Architects Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs and Nathalie de Vries jointly founded MVRDV in 1993, and it now operates on the cutting edge of architecture and urban development. The firm distinguishes itself through innovative designs on both small and large scales and is known for projects including Expo 2000, Silodam, Markthal, and Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, opening to the public on 6 November 2021. As MVRDV NEXT, the firm develops innovative digital working methods and new technologies.

Het Nieuwe Instituut
Het Nieuwe Instituut is the institute of architecture, design and digital culture based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Through its exhibitions, programmes, research and wide-reaching national and international collaborations, the institute engages thinkers, designers, makers and diverse audiences to critically reflect on the urgent issues confronting both how we interpret the past, and the ways in which we will enact the future. Het Nieuwe Instituut is directed by Aric Chen (General and Artistic Director) and Josien Paulides (Business Director).

MVRDVHNI: The Living Archive of a Studio is on view from 6 November to 4 September 2022. Visit here for the latest updates, new content and activities.