Invented from Copies

In the design practice of architects and designers, copies and reproductions are much more than just duplicates. In fact, they are a source of inspiration and innovation. From blueprints and whiteprints to colourful adhesive films (Zips) and photocopies, these copying techniques have fundamentally transformed the way architects work. For the first time, Invented from Copies reveals this surprising story.

Invented from Copies is a follow-up to—and an expansion of—the research project of the same name. That project focused on a specific type of material found in the National Collection for Dutch Architecture and Urban Planning: the architectural reproduction. In this book, a chapter on photocopies has been added to the existing chapters on whiteprints, blueprints, and plastic foils (Zips). The book also features four new case studies on the role of analogue copies in the design processes of Pierre Cuypers (De Haar Castle), Gerrit Rietveld (Textile Exchange Hall, Jaarbeurs Utrecht), Carel Weeber and Jaap Bakema (World Expo Pavilion, Osaka), and Jo Coenen.

This publication demonstrates how analogue copies and reproductions shaped creative practice and created new possibilities within the design process between 1870 and 2000. Featuring a wealth of previously unknown visual material from the National Collection for Dutch Architecture and Urban Planning at the Nieuwe Instituut, Invented from Copies is both a visual spectacle and an indispensable source of new insights for architects, designers, historians and collection managers alike. The book makes a compelling case for reevaluating photocopies and analogue reproductions in architectural collections worldwide.

Pre-publication Invented from Copies: Osaka 1970