This work was presented in an attractive exhibition organised by curator and Head of the ‘Masters of Form’ course Bruno Vermeersch. He was also responsible for the Roadshow, where various artworks by the students of the ‘Masters of Form’ course could be seen. These were presented in cars that were hoisted up from the Mr. Visserplein into the inner courtyard of the Academy. This was a spectacular beginning to the Graduation Show 2016. We hope to see you back at the Academy of Architecture in 2017 and at the Graduation Show in November 2017.


Architecture critic Kirsten Hannema (left) opened the Graduation Show on Friday 4 November. Photos: Inge Hoogland.

Graduation Show 2016
On Friday 4 November, the Graduation Show 2016 was opened by Kirsten Hannema, architecture critic for the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant. The exhibition featuring design talent from the Master’s programmes in Architecture, Urbanism and Landscape Architecture was closed on Sunday 6 November with a spoken essay by Chief Government Architect and lecturer in Architecture at the Academy of Architecture Floris Alkemade. Director Madeleine Maaskant announced on behalf of the jury which graduates were selected to participate in Archiprix 2017. An audience award was also presented by Ronald Hooft, columnist of the Dutch newspaper Het Parool.


This year, a Roadshow was organised for the first time by Editor-in-Chief of the ‘Masters of Form’ course Bruno Vermeersch.

Roadshow and Kromhout Lecture
A new part of the Graduation Show was the Roadshow, organised by Editor-in-Chief of the Masters of Form course Bruno Vermeersch. The results of the ‘Masters of Form course from first-year, second-year and third-year students were presented in the cargo spaces of eight cars that were hoisted up in the inner courtyard. As night fell, the inner courtyard was transformed into a drive-in cinema with a film programmed organised by students from the Masters of Form course. The films can be viewed here. On Saturday 5 November, Nathalie de Vries from architecture and urbanism firm MVRDV delivered the annual Kromhout Lecture in a packed Balkenzaal.


Nathalie de Vries from MVRDV (right) delivered the Kromhout Lecture on Saturday 5 November.
Nominations Archiprix 2017.

Nominations for Archiprix 2017
A jury chaired by Madeleine Maaskant nominated four graduation projects for participation in Archiprix 2017. The nominees were: Michael van Bergen (Architecture) with Nieuw Leven voor de Dood (New Life for the Dead). Ramon Scharff (Architecture) with Het Huis van de Stad (The House of the City). Sweder Spanjer (Architecture) with Voor altijd op reis (Forever Travelling). And Hans Maarten Wikkerink (Architecture) with Marcy Houses. The audience award was won by Laura van de Pol for her graduation project ‘Urban Mangrove’. According to visiting critic Floris Alkemade, this class of graduates reveals ‘a generation that is no longer focused on the aftermath of the crippling crisis. A generation that is trying to disentangle the realities of modern life and society with a dual focus on nature and the community. This year, the graduation projects displayed a lot of promising signs. The attention to connections, communities and nature is hopeful. The future looks rosy.’


(From left to right) Ramon Scharff, Michael van Bergen, Sweder Spanjer and Chief Government Architect Floris Alkemade as visiting critic.

Graduation catalogue
At the end of December, the graduation catalogue ‘Graduation Projects 2015-2016’ will be published. This English-language digital publication contains a combination of all graduation projects by the Master’s students in Architecture, Urbanism and Landscape Architecture from the last academic year. Visiting critic Floris Alkemade has written an introductory essay. The catalogue can be downloaded as a PDF and can be ordered as a ‘print on demand’ copy from Peecho.com or Blurb.com, for example. A hardcover edition is available for €15 at the Academy library.


Ronald Hooft presented the audience award to Laura van de Pol for her graduation work Urban Mangrove.