Het Nieuwe Instituut

Het Nieuwe Instituut commissioned this essay, by architecture historian and theorist Beatriz Colomina, for the book Work, Body, Leisure, in relation to the 2018 Biennale Architettura. Colomina's research on the bed as a contemporary workspace that transforms labour seems particularly relevant at a time when so many of us are working from home.

Before working on Sonneveld House, Leen Van der Vlugt designed the first Modernist factory and office building in the Netherlands: the Van Nelle factory, in Rotterdam. He adapted these modern office innovations to the Sonneveld’s private home. The studio is not only a healthy place to work but also still meets the requirements for a modern working environment today, including state-of-the-art office furniture and high levels of comfort.

The platform offers an overview of work by designers who have created communications tools and exhibition graphics for Het Nieuwe Instituut. This year, the website is being expanded to other design disciplines that Het Nieuwe Instituut has commissioned in recent years, such as spatial design.

A film by alumni of the Ghetto Film School, making their debut as a collective, Armonia featues Terence Nance, Jenn Nkiru, Marc Thomas, Kamasi Washington (The Ummah Chroma) and Lauri Faggioni. This year, members of the Ghetto Film School visited Rotterdam during the film festival and met other young filmmakers from all over the world. The Ummah Chroma created the ritual space G/D THYSELF: Spirit Strategy On Raising Free Black Children at Het Nieuwe Instituut, now temporarily closed to visitors.