Book Launch: Invented from Copies
Is a copy a duplicate or a reproduction, or is it in fact a new, autonomous work? You are invited to join us for an inspiring evening exploring the role of copies in creative practice, as we celebrate the publication of the book Invented from Copies. How do creators use copies during the design process? What meaning does the original acquire when it is reproduced, distorted, or imitated?
27 November 2025 18:00 - 20:00
Our guests will be Sofie De Caigny (Head of Collection at the Nieuwe Instituut), architect Inez Tan, artist Willem Oorebeek, graphic designer Pieter Vos (75B) and book authors Clara Haardt and Ellen Smit (Nieuwe Instituut).
Language: Dutch | Location: Nieuwe Instituut | RSVP (Free)
TicketsRevolution in copying processes
Invented from Copies: Blueprints, Whiteprints, Zips and Photocopies in the Architectural Office, 1870-2000 is a publication by the Nieuwe Instituut in collaboration with nai010 publishers. It radically dispels the idea that reproductions are inferior to the ‘authentic original’.
The book introduces the copy as a catalyst for new design processes in architecture. Using blueprints, whiteprints, colourful adhesive films and photocopies from the Nieuwe Instituut collection, it demonstrates that photoreproductive copying, which began around 1870 with the introduction of the blueprint, accelerated and scaled up the design process. This led to new forms of collaboration and creativity.
This revolution in copying processes provided the building blocks for new office practices, a development that is highlighted for the first time in this publication.
Invented from Copies has been made possible with the support of the J.E. Jurriaanse Foundation and Koninklijke Rijnja B.V.