Studio Visits is a series of evenings dedicated to contemporary architectural practice, its challenges and its possibilities. This Studio Visit, Shift architecture urbanism invites professionals, students and the broader public to cross the threshold, take a peek into the architect’s workplace and join the conversation.

Shift Architecture Urbanism is a Rotterdam-based architecture practice led by Harm Timmermans, Oana Radeş and Thijs van Bijsterveldt. Following an initial period in which the office focussed on research, in recent years the practice has been given opportunities to build, resulting in several houses, a pavilion for Tilburg University, and the Cube Design Museum in Kerkrade.

The search for the freedom to create architecture

During the visit on 15 February, Shift’s three partners will reflect upon their practice’s last eight years: from the freedom – or rather the lack of obligation – to carry out self-initiated design research in the crisis period to the quest for architectural freedom within today’s ‘hermetic’ commercial building commissions, and everything in between.

Shift combines a conceptual approach with project-specific design and detailing. They view architecture and urban planning as inextricably linked disciplines and treat them accordingly. Alongside a wide range of concrete building commissions, Shift carries out self-initiated design research, using design and imagination strategically to put urgent issues on the agenda and to make future scenarios visible and open to discussion.

Studio Visits

Hosted and curated by an architectural studio in collaboration with Het Nieuwe Instituut, each evening will be organized around a tour, a presentation, an open conversation and a celebration. The gathering will serve as a catalyst for debate and architectural discourse; for strategizing urban policies and actions; for collaboration, forms of solidarity, and friendship as well as competition; and for - why not? - architectural gossip. Studio Visits is also a space in which to reformulate the social position of the architect in a fundamentally changed field of influence, by collectively exploring possible roles and responsibilities.

Previous Studio Visits were hosted by studios with diverse spatial configurations, forms of practice and portfolios: Powerhouse Company, Casanova+Hernandez, Lilith Ronner van Hooijdonk, LOLA Landscape Architects, MVRDV and Rotterdam’s Urban Development Team.

Please note

The Studio Visits have space for a limited number of participants, while demand is great. If, after registering, you are unable to attend, please inform us as soon as possible do that someone else can attend.

Photo: Petra van der Ree