Mission

The International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR) is a cultural knowledge institution that actively fosters a meaningful dialogue regarding the spatial urgencies of our time. The disciplines of architecture, landscape, and urban planning play an essential, pioneering, and connecting role in this: they help to interpret and address the societal challenges and spatial consequences of a changing world and climate. Designers visualize these changes and thus act as guides to the future.

Whether it concerns water safety, the energy transition, housing challenges, CO₂ reduction, or food security: these are - in the Netherlands and globally - ultimately spatial issues. Constructively and critically questioning these challenges, and finding space and a course of action within that complexity, is precisely what designers contribute.

Since the first edition in 2003, the IABR has drawn attention to the value of design-based research. Central to this is always the pursuit of a healthy and just city that is in balance with other ecosystems. Every two years, the IABR presents its event: an extensive cultural public program featuring exhibitions, debates, lectures, workshops, and guided tours. On this international stage, the imagination of architecture is celebrated.

Even between consecutive editions, the IABR continues its research, collaborations, learning pathways, and debate activities. From its home base in Rotterdam, the biennial works towards an agenda-setting and stimulating role within the national and international architectural discourse.

Research

The IABR encourages and facilitates various forms of long-term research. On the one hand, the biennale brings together designers, governments, and social partners in research-by-design programs to develop concrete, applicable solutions to current spatial problems. In the Rotterdam district of Bospolder-Tussendijken, for example, this is done together with citizens and existing neighborhood initiatives. On the other hand, the IABR supports more theoretical or speculative research projects by individual designers and researchers, the Agents of Change. In addition, the biennale collaborates with educational institutions. The results of these various undertakings, both the extensive collaborative programs and the more individual trajectories, are presented in the biannual exhibition program.

Exhibition

All of this comes together in the biannual public event of the Architecture Biennale Rotterdam. For each edition, a curator or curatorial team is given the opportunity to put together an exhibition program based on an overarching theme. The exhibitions combine form and content and incorporate the results of long-term studies, best practices, and other inspiring examples. During the cultural event, the exhibition creates a context and a place for knowledge exchange, debate, encounter, inspiration, experience, and dialogue.

Debate

The IABR is agenda-setting, inquisitive, and inspiring by initiating, organizing, and producing conferences, films, books, lectures, debates, workshops, and master classes. Much of this program takes place both during the biannual event and between editions. This ongoing process of reflection and exchange among the design disciplines, with stakeholders such as citizens, governments, developers, businesses, and the public, also feeds back into the substantive program of successive biennale editions.