Architect@WORK coming to Zaandam at the end of September

Vibrant preview of additional but enduring edition of fair in Metropolitan Amsterdam region

On Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 September 2023, ARCHITECT@WORK will descend on Taets on the Hembrugterrein in Zaanstad. It will be the first edition of the event in the metropolitan region of Amsterdam. Around the theme 'Healthy Materials' Architectenweb is again organizing a lecture program. Exhibition manager Anne-Laure Van de Ginste is looking forward to it, especially since already - June 2023 - the interest is enormous. "Right now, 140 of the 160 available stands have already been filled. We are almost full. And I am happy with this location where we can absolutely also create the vibe and atmosphere that belongs to ARCHITECT@WORK. And, not unimportantly: the content program is something we can be very proud of."

Until this year, ARCHITECT@WORK was organized every two years in Rotterdam. "After nine successful editions in Rotterdam - with an average of some 4,500 visitors - we are now accelerating the frequency to annual, alternating between Rotterdam and Amsterdam," Anne-Laure continued.

"After the successful edition of ARCHITECT@WORK in Rotterdam last September, an edition will therefore follow in 2023 in Zaanstad, the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area, before returning to Rotterdam in 2024. So the odd-numbered years in Zaanstad, the even-numbered years in Rotterdam."

The theme of this upcoming ARCHITECT@-WORK is again 'Healthy Materials'. Besides the lecture program, this theme is reflected in the materials exhibition 'Healthy Heroes' by MaterialDistrict and in the photo exhibition by Dutch Architecture Photographers (DAPh).

But most important, of course, are the exhibitors who show their innovations in the well-known compact stands at the fair. Thereby, of course, 'healthy materials' can be seen at numerous exhibitors. "Of course I am curious to know exactly who the visitors will be," says Anne-Laure. "Of course I expect great interest from Amsterdam itself. During the Rotterdam edition, we did experience to some extent that somehow the Amsterdam agencies did not travel 'en masse' to Rotterdam after all. It is one of the main reasons why we are therefore now organizing this edition near the capital as well."

Anne-Laure explains that at least one international keynote will take the stage on both days. These speakers will also naturally cover the theme of Healthy Materials. "Furthermore, there are lectures on the themes of transformation and then even on the transformation of the Hembrugterrein, the place where this ARCHITECT@WORK takes place. Furthermore, Joost Roefs of Twee Snoeken Architecten presents an interesting vision of bio-based building. He specifically discusses the municipal
house of Voorst, which has been nominated for best building of 2023."

Anne-Laure says there are additionally lectures scheduled on nature-inclusive design, wood circularity and energy as well as building with wood. "Visitors can really block their calendar for two full days to get complete inspiration in Zaanstad. And, to network, of course.

Not going to the fair?

"Of course we are hoping for lots of visitors - and it is also expected that this will happen," says Anne-Laure. "But for the few who are not in a position to attend, we will anyway offer the service of following the lectures and presentations via a live stream. For up to a year after the event, all these presentations can also be found on the ArchitectAtWork digital platform. Within that, by the way, there is also a comprehensive Product Directory of the exhibitors."

Overview of fringe events

Exhibit Healthy Heroes by MaterialDistrict

Conventional building methods often focus on economic efficiency when choosing materials, while the consequences for a healthy indoor and outdoor environment are often less important. Fortunately, there is increasing attention to sustainable and healthy building and more and more (interior) architects are discovering the advantages of building with (unconventional) materials that have a positive effect with regard to energy, circularity and health. 

At the 'Healthy Heroes' exhibition, specially curated for ARCHITECT@-WORK, MaterialDistrict is showcasing a wide range of over 120 innovative material samples. The exhibition is divided into two main themes: Healthy Spaces shows a selection of materials that contribute to a healthy indoor climate (ventilating, air-purifying, moisture-regulating, thermal insulating), materials that protect us (antibacterial, UV-protective, anti-radiation, non-toxic, anti-allergenic) and materials that contribute to good acoustics and connection with the outdoors (daylight and green).

Accordingly, Healthy Planet has a broad focus on materials with a low carbon footprint (biobased, circular) materials that are energy-generating or energy-saving, materials that are recyclable or reusable, and materials that are waste-saving or generated from waste itself.

Project Wall by world-architects.com

Of course, the Project Wall is also back on the program. It was a great success in Rotterdam, so it is logical that it will be on display in Zaanstad at the next edition. The new Project Wall shows the diversity of the work of the members of world-architects. While the first two editions focused exclusively on the realizations of architects, the 60 selected projects show the interdisciplinary focus of world-architects. For the first time, the realizations of interior architects and lighting designers are presented.

World-architects.com is a platform with profiles of selected architects and focusing on the contemporary architectural landscape, which has been carefully developed and internationally recognized. The platform features profiles of architects, landscape architects, engineers, designers, lighting designers and photographers.

Art by Jochem Esser

This visual artist - working in the Zaan region and therefore invited! - is fascinated by the relationship between man and technology. He explores connections between physical stimuli, objects and mental phenomena. He combines contrasting techniques from different historical periods to blur the line between technology and artifact. His stimulating imagery draws inspiration from science fiction, occultism and data visualization.

Jochem: "I always try to create an alienation from what we understand as technology and make it appear in a different context."

He explains that his focus is on acoustics, creating objects that cause the viewer to focus their attention on the electronics. The viewer begins to become aware that he is not just listening to sound, but instead is acoustically linked to objects that create sound. The mediator becomes the object. 

Short about ARCHITECT@WORK

In addition to the editions in Rotterdam and the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area (Zaanstad), ARCHITECT@WORK is organized throughout Europe. Next year, the event will take place in Hamburg, Amsterdam, Stuttgart, Paris, Milan, Lisbon, Bordeaux and Düsseldorf.

In the Amsterdam metropolitan region, ARCHITECT@WORK will take place September 27 and 28, 2023 at Taets Art and Event Park on the Hembrugterrein in Zaanstad. Opening hours are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information, visit www.architectatwork.nl.