Opening SIDELINED: A Space To Rethink Togetherness

Curated by Amanda Pinatih and centering the work of social designer Gabriel Fontana, SIDELINED transforms the Deck of the Nieuwe Instituut into an alternative sports bar: a space to play, question and belong.

How can architecture resist exclusionary social norms? And how can the way we design spaces nurture different ways of living and being together? SIDELINED explores these questions through the lens of sport: a phenomenon that both reflects and shapes the social dynamics of our society. While stadiums, sports fields and sports bars can foster unity and group identity, they can also lead to division and exclusion.

In SIDELINED, you enter an alternative sports bar built on the principles of fluidity, connection, togetherness and experimentation. At its centre is the work of social designer Gabriel Fontana, whose games and interventions reflect on the social dynamics that shape our shared public spaces — and how those spaces influence us and our behaviour. By breaking open traditional norms and rigid social structures, and making room for diversity, empathy and solidarity, SIDELINED rewrites the rules of the game.

SIDELINED: A Space to Rethink Togetherness was previously on view at the Dutch Pavilion during the 19th International Architecture Exhibition — La Biennale di Venezia 2025, as the official Dutch contribution. Nieuwe Instituut was commissioner of the entry.

Programme
- 19:00 Doors open
- 19:30 A word of welcome by Yesomi Umolu, Amanda Pinatih and Gabriel Fontana, followed by a cheer activation led by media artist Connor Cook
- 19:30 – 21:00 Opportunity to visit the exhibition. Enjoy a drink and music by DJ Soft Break