THE NAI IS REACHING OUT TO MORE PEOPLE THROUGH A RENOVATION AND AN AUGMENTED REALITY APP UAR. SINCE JUNE 30,000 PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE NAI IN THEIR POCKETS THANKS TO UAR AS A GUIDE AND REFERENCE.
The NAI is on track to becoming a public-focused, socially-oriented organization with a clear vision of the significance of architecture. Twenty ten was a remarkable year in this development. Demanding but successful. After extensive preparations, the museum closed in June for a highly desirable renovation of the foyer and the construction of an education pavilion and a treasury. The building will be more open and urban and will be able to receive a broader range of visitors. Just before the start of the renovation we were faced with a lifting basement floor as the consequence of design and construction errors in the new building at the beginning of the nineteen-nineties. As a result the renovation could not begin until October. The basement problem will have been solved by the completion in May/June 2011.
Besides this substantial project, the NAI achieved a great deal in 2010. During the year the Architecture of Consequence innovation agenda was very well received. We rolled out the Urban Augmented Reality app (UAR), so that anyone with a smartphone can access the NAI at all times. In Venice the NAI delivered an internationally much-discussed entry about empty buildings in the Netherlands. The NAI also participated in the Rietveld Year. The Centraal Museum in Utrecht staged a successful exhibition that is attracting many visitors.
Architecture of Consequence is the NAI’s innovation agenda. Architecture can play a part in formulating solutions to widespread global problems, and help to build a more sustainable future. By presenting inspiring examples, maintaining a web discussion platform, an initiative for a national and international matchmaking programme, travelling exhibitions and many lectures. Read about the latest developments on www.architectureofconsequence.nl.
The NAI is on the leading edge of augmented reality developments with the launch of the free mobile architecture application UAR. It fulfils the ambition to make the collection available outside the museum. UAR uses text, (3D) graphics and film to inform about the built environment. UAR displays the city as it was, will be and could have been. It has rapidly become a platform to which many parties are contributing. UAR is now available in Rotterdam and Amsterdam. The Hague and Utrecht will follow in early 2011. The end of 2010 establishes the number of 30.000 UAR users.
Early 2010 the NAI exhibited the Disputed City, Architecture of Consequence and the overview of 10 x Europan. Visitors to the Disputed City could judge 40 disputed designs, illustrated with scale models from the NAI archives, and vote whether they would deserve a presentation in the new permanent exhibition City of Holland. After Sao Paulo and Moscow the travelling exhibition Architecture of Consequence, showing work of 24 Dutch architectural firms, came to the NAI itself, to emphasize the message. 10 x Europan showed 20 years of competition plus the results of the latest contest.
The NAI is keeper of the largest and perhaps the finest architectural collection in the world. A significant part of the collection comes from the first half of the twentieth century with archives of Berlage, De Bazel, De Klerk, Oud, Dudok, Van Doesburg, Rietveld and many others. This year the NAI collection benefitted once again from splendid donations. The most important are listed below.
After the museum closed in June, the NAI platform continued, with the Schieblock in Rotterdam as its temporary location. We organized 31 activities, from lectures, debates and master classes to showing films. The 7 key themes of the Architecture of Consequence innovation agenda were enhanced and explored in depth. Highlights of 2010 were the Rotterdam election debate in February (190 visitors) in the NAI and architect Peter Zumthor’s lecture (1.527 visitors) in De Doelen concert venue.
With a full international programme we aim at sharing knowledge and intensifying networks in the interest of the (Dutch) architecture.
Our contribution to the Venice Biennale was a highlight.
The NAI Matchmaking programme repositions Dutch expertise for the Chinese and Indian urban transformations. We join local architects and project developers to Dutch architects in order to formulate projects that will be developed and executed in the future. In both countries the programme focuses on housing strategies.
Matchmaking links Dutch architects to architectural assignments. At the end of 2010 we launched the NAI Studio for Unsolicited Architecture, a fertile breeding ground for valuable design concepts and good plans that often stay on the back burner. We adopt promising projects and prepare them for the market.
On the international side we invited VANKE, one of the biggest Chinese housing developers. During this visit VANKE was introduced to Dutch landscape architects.
Digital NAI made a technological leap forward in 2010. We launched the collection search-interface Archivista on the website. NAI’s collection can now be searched on line. Besides developing its own website, the NAI is becoming increasingly active on other web platforms. For example: NAI has 3500 fans on Facebook, over 500 visitorphotographs have been posted in the NAI Flickr pool and the NAI itself is contributing to this photograph collection by opening its own collection channel. Keep track on all developments on www.NAI.nl.
Thanks to its versatility the NAI has a large network of cooperating organizations. They come from the museum world, education, the heritage sector, and the property and construction industries. There are also trade associations and government agencies. The network is national and international. Cooperation takes place in many forms: presentations, education, research, market expansion, cultural exchanges and publications. The NAI also provides support to initiatives that have been developed elsewhere. Finally the NAI is a much sought after consultant in the Netherlands and internationally.
The NAI considers itself fortunate with the help from many organizations. For years, the most important one has been the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). The Ministries of Infrastructure & the Environment, Foreign Affairs and Economic Affairs, all offer considerable contributions; the City of Rotterdam supports the renovation. Substantial aid is received from the private sector. The BankGiro Loterij, NAI Circle, the housing associations Ymere and ComWonen, developers MAB Development, Bouwfonds Ontwikkeling, OVG and AM and Sika building products are of inestimable value. DPI Animation House and GAR are committed to UAR and many others have contributed to our activities.
The NAI Circle is an active, informal circle of 65 contacts with important positions in construction. It reinforces ties with the industry and promotes knowledge and love for architecture. The NAI Circle is very involved in the NAI and supports it in many ways, e.g. the creation of the new permanent exhibition. The Friends of the NAI fosters interest in and knowledge of architecture. In 2010 excursions to Nijmegen, Almere, the Ruhr and China were organized and all friends received a new NAI File: The library of the future and previews of exhibitions.
