Mission

Architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design play crucial, leading, and connecting roles in addressing the social challenges and spatial consequences of a rapidly changing world and climate. From water management and energy transition to housing demand, CO₂ reduction, and food security, these are fundamentally spatial issues, both in the Netherlands and globally. Since its first edition in 2003, the IABR has championed research by design as a crucial tool for addressing these challenges. At its core, the IABR remains committed to promoting healthy, equitable cities and ecosystem

Every two years, the IABR presents an extensive public cultural program of exhibitions, debates, lectures, workshops, and tours. This international stage celebrates the imagination of architecture. In the period between successive editions, the biennale continues its research and debate. From its home in Rotterdam, the IABR strives to occupy an agenda-setting and stimulating position in the national and international architectural debate.

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.

Mission

Research

Exhibition

Debate