Research
Collecting Otherwise
Within the scope of the Collecting Otherwise theme, the Research team develops innovative methodologies and tools for heritage practices that move beyond linear and canonical views of past, present, and future. This theme line heavily informs Nieuwe Instituut’s new acquisition policy: also see the project page of Collecting Otherwise.
Inspired by Audre Lorde's powerful statement, it explores whether we can use the "master's tools" to dismantle, reshape and share anew the spaces that shape our legacies. The goal is to propel the understanding around Dutch design legacies forward through research in the National Collection for Architecture and Urban Planning; de-patriarchising, de-hierarchising, and decolonising this collection. We hold the National Collection for Architecture and Urban Planning accountable for its inheritances, viewing the collection as a dynamic convergence site—a platform, node, and contact zone interfacing with diverse worlds. The emphasis is on collaborative and networked aspects of collecting, extending beyond archives and archivists to encourage new relationships within archival communities, that encompass shared worlds.