Ben Spry and Larry Botchway of POor Collective were the Artists in Residence for the Winter School 2026 of the Academy of Architecture. POoR Collective is a London-based social enterprise and architectural practice. Students were encouraged to engage critically and creatively with place, community, and the social dimensions of design. The experience of Ben and Larry in participatory processes and public-sector collaboration offered invaluable insights for this year’s assignment.

Titled Radical Groundings: Social Imagination through Participatory Design students worked on assignments, which were located across five assisted living sites in Amsterdam, four of which were managed by HVO Querido and one by Straatalliantie. Read more. 

Artist in Residence programme
The Amsterdam University of the Arts invites the Artist in Residence (AIR) to inspire students and teachers by confronting them with topical developments and issues from arts practice. These tailor-made AIR projects focus on innovation and connection in an international and multidisciplinary context. About the AIR programme