Ministery of Making | Ministerie van Maak

Self-founded Ministry by MISC., ZUS, and IABR (International Architecture Biennial Rotterdam) supported by 101 architects that addresses the housing crisis in the Netherlands.

Circular exhibition design Architecture culture Community making Housing crisis

2022 — ongoing

“When you enter the weathered hall with graffiti, you don't notice it right away; you only see it when you look at the sand on the concrete floor for longer: hey, that looks like Zeeland, and on the other side: the Wadden Islands. Climb onto the 'lifeguard chair' at the head of the hall and it becomes clear at once: this is a gigantic scale model of the Netherlands that you can walk straight through.[...] The plea of this exhibition: think about the long term, taking into account climate change, new forms of nature, agriculture, and the necessity to build with renewable materials.”

— Kirsten Hannema, Volkskrant

Min Maak 101 proposals collected and put in their intended location in the sand-based model of the Netherlands. Video by Paul Swagerman

101 Proposals teaser for then Minister Hugo de Jonge. Video by Min Maak

About Ministery of Making

Lacking the voice of architects in the Dutch housing crisis debate, MISC., ZUS and IABR founded a new Dutch ministry that tries to overcome the bureaucratic impasse of the moment and offer perspective for more novel and creative approaches to the housing crisis. 101 architects received a starter-kit in which they were asked to each design 10,000 houses in a self-selected area in the Netherlands and explore realistic but creative alternatives compared to current housing practice. The 101 designs were presented within the largest sand-sculpted model of the Netherlands to date and visited by various government leaders and stakeholders. With more than 700 architects joining at the opening, it was also one of the largest architecture gatherings in the Netherlands since COVID-19.

Credits

IABR: Saskia van Stijn, Vivian Ammerlaan, Noortje Jansen, Maaike Menheere, Yonca Özbilge, Greg Vyent
ZUS: Kristian Koreman, Elma van Boxel, Willemijn van Manen
MISC.: Stephan Petermann, Idil Gökgöz