Programma Nature of Hope

Botanical Monuments Program
Target Audience: General public

The Botanical Monuments program was a key component of 'Nature of Hope', transforming 26 green spaces across Rotterdam into hubs for education and knowledge sharing. These sites, ranging from urban gardens to green roofs, were showcased during the biennale not just as green spaces, but as catalysts for environmental and social change. Through activities such as tours, workshops, and performances, visitors were invited to explore regenerative practices, urban biodiversity conservation, and social cohesion. The program encouraged active participation and provided opportunities to discover new approaches to strengthening ecological networks in the city.

Children’s Workshops
Target Audience: Children 6 to 12 years old

'Nature of Hope' also involved the younger generation in the development of a sustainable future. In collaboration with the Nieuwe Instituut, the IABR organized children’s workshops, inviting children between the ages of 6 and 12 to create their own visions of the future. Over the course of six weeks, they worked together to build a diorama. The workshops focused on three themes: Nature, Culture, and Hope. During these workshops, the children had the opportunity to design new plants, invent animals for unique habitats, and imagine innovative ways of living. The program nurtured their creativity and gave them an opportunity to consider their role in building an ecological future.

Practice Place Meetings
Target Audience: Professionals (architects, designers, urban designers, and representatives of related disciplines)

The Practice Place provided architecture and design professionals with a space for active knowledge exchange. Discussions during these meetings explored topics such as feminist values, nature inclusive design, and the circular economy. Supported by a podcast series, the meetings featured leading speakers including Paulien Bremmer, Peggy Deamer, and Rosi Braidotti. Through dialog and imaginative exercises, the program highlighted architecture’s role as a driver of social change and explored how design practices can contribute to a more inclusive and ecological society.

Curator Tours
Target Audience: Both professionals and the general public

Another key pillar of 'Nature of Hope' was the Curator Tours, which provided visitors with in-depth insights into the exhibition and its featured projects. Led by the five 'Nature of Hope' curators, each with a distinct area of expertise, the tours explored topics such as alternative organizational models, new methods and skills for change, architecture as a catalyst in a rapidly evolving world, and different perspectives on worldviews by architects and designers. Open to both professionals and the general public, these tours provided a deeper understanding of the work on view.

Group Visits
Target Audience: Varied groups of professionals, students, and policymakers

In addition, the IABR organized group visits for various audiences, including educational institutions, municipalities, and architecture firms, hosting a total of 30 groups with 400 participants. These visits provided an opportunity for participants to engage deeply in the content of the exhibition and to tailor their experience to their specific interests and professional practices. The visits were crucial in strengthening networks and deepening discussions about the future of architecture and urban design.

Symposium Program
Target Audience: Professionals and students

Symposiums have always been an essential part of the IABR, and in 2024 they played a critical role in fostering interdisciplinary debate on the environmental, social, and educational challenges shaping the built environment. The program included three major events:

· The opening symposium, Building Ecologies – Nature in the City, explored how architecture and urban design can contribute to sustainable urban ecologies, biodiversity and social cohesion.

· The education symposium, Nature of Knowledge, focused on how architecture and design education can contribute to a hopeful and sustainable future by addressing climate change, migration, land use and innovative design strategies.

· The concluding symposium, Flourishing Futures, explored the future of architecture in the context of climate change and land governance. These symposia served as a

platform for experts and pioneers to collaboratively explore solutions for the future of architectural practice, architectural education, and the city.

Presentations IABR Ateliers
Target Audience: Professionals (architects, designers, urban designers, and representatives of related disciplines)

A regular feature of the biennale program is the presentation of the long-running IABR Ateliers. Two of these presentations provided an opportunity for professionals to gain in-depth insights into the future of infrastructure and energy transitions. The first presentation, from IABR Atelier A16 Rotterdam: A16, Mobiliteit als Vliegwiel voor verandering (Mobility as the driver of change), explored the future development of the A16 and Rotterdam’s eastern flank. In collaboration with the City of Rotterdam, Rijkswaterstaat, Delft University of Technology, and other partners, it examined how mobility and urban development can be mutually reinforcing. Experts such as Prof. Matthijs van Dijk and Erik Verroen shared their vision of mobility as a network of relationships. The second Atelier, Jeux des Joules, focused on the spatial implications of the energy transition and the proliferation of new electricity substations throughout the city. In collaboration with the municipalities of Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Delft, multidisciplinary teams worked to develop a new standard for the ‘distribution substation’.

Visitor Program Learning from Paris in collaboration with and supported by Built by Nature
Target Audience: Architects, developers, builders, and policymakers

In October 2024, IABR organized the two-day visitor program Learning from Paris in collaboration with Built by Nature, landscape architect and researcher Emma Diehl, and architect Christina Eickmeier. The program facilitated the exchange of knowledge between Dutch and French architects on the rise of biobased building. Supported by project and studio visits, networking opportunities, and a public debate as part of the Carbon Stories series, the event provided a valuable platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience on climate-positive building practices. Learning from Paris highlighted the importance of cross-border collaboration and knowledge sharing among architects, policymakers, and other professionals to advance sustainable building practices globally.

Collaborations with External Partners
Target Audience: Several

In 2024, the IABR actively collaborated with a wide range of external partners to amplify the impact of its public program. Partnerships with organizations such as De Dependance, Vogelbescherming Nederland, AFFR, Sainsbury Center, Norwich University, City of Amsterdam, Lala Ruhr Biennale, Netherlands Angry Architects (NAA), Architecture Climate Action Network (ACAN), Built by Nature, Ministerie van de Toekomst, the Nieuwe Instituut, and local architecture centers in Arnhem, Zeeland, and Deventer created valuable platforms for discussion and knowledge sharing. Some examples are:

· The public lecture by agricultural sociologist Max Ajl, organized in collaboration with De Dependance

· The knowledge session on the integration of nature in architecture, focusing on the promotion of biodiversity and biobased construction organized in collaboration with Vogelbescherming Nederland

· The 'Nature of Hope' film program organized by the IABR during the Architecture Film Festival Rotterdam (AFFR) at LantarenVenster, with short films exploring how architecture can support nature conservation. This was followed by a panel discussion with MVRDV cofounder Nathalie de Vries and IABR director Saskia van Stein on the role of spatial design in shaping a better future. Another was the Op weg naar het Symbioceen (On the way to the symbiocene) program, including the documentary In Vivo and an in-depth panel discussion.

The IABR also actively collaborated with local architecture centers to bring regional perspectives and expertise into the broader discussion of bioregional building. In partnership with CBK Zeeland, CASA in Arnhem, Rondeel in Deventer, and the Ministerie van de Toekomst (Ministry of the Future), three Place Councils were organized. These meetings, part of the national Practice Place event Naar een Bioregionale Bouw (Towards bioregional building), explored the impact of circularity on materials, building culture and landscape, focusing on the unique challenges and opportunities in each region.

These collaborations offered a nuanced approach to bioregional building, allowing not only architects but also local stakeholders to share their visions and collectively chart a path toward a circular, nature-inclusive building culture.