StructuralismStructuralism

In the autumn of 2014, the exhibition Structuralism opens in the big exhibition hall of Het Nieuwe Instituut. The exhibition focuses on Dutch Structuralism, a movement in architecture in the late '50s and early '60s that renounced the technocratic planning that characterised the post-war reconstruction of the country. Instead, its proponents asked space for the poetic and emotional aspects of architecture, in order to come to a truly dignified living environment.

The exhibition is on show from September 20, 2014 to January 11, 2015, and takes the form of a dual exhibition; one part is curated by architect Herman Hertzberger, the other part shows the first outcomes of a long-term scientific research project by the Jaap Bakema Study Centre led by Dirk van den Heuvel:

• Making space, leaving space - Herman Hertzberger
  The first part of the exhibition approaches Structuralism from the perspective of the designer and tells the story through the eyes of architect Herman Hertzberger (1932), one of the most renowned representatives of Dutch Structuralism.

• An installation in four acts - Jaap Bakema Study Centre
  In the second part of the exhibition, Structuralism is addressed from the perspective of the scientist and researcher. Curator, theorist and researcher Dirk van den Heuvel of TU Delft presents the first results of his research on Structuralism in collaboration with the Jaap Bakema Study Centre.

The exhibition Structuralism presents various captivating stories. The presentation asks questions, is associative, and full of highlights and surprises from the archives. Structuralism is part of the programme track Landscape and Interior of Het Nieuwe Instituut.

This project is made possible in part thanks to the generous support of the BankGiro Loterij. Its financial contribution helps to enhance the public visibility of Het Nieuwe Instituut's collection.