Exhibition The Land of Milk and Honey opened in the Huis der Provincie Arnhem
On 7 October, the exhibition The Land of Milk and Honey opened to great public interest at the Huis der Provincie in Arnhem. The exhibition was designed by ZUS and MISC, who, together with the IABR, founded the Ministry of Make! in 2022.
In 2025, the Province of Gelderland and Ruimtelab invited the Ministry of Make! to take part in a joint experiment. Four design teams set to work on the urgent themes of water, nature, energy, food and housing. These are spatial challenges that are all directly relevant to Gelderland and that have been translated into research in the Achterhoek, the Veluwe, the river landscape and the Bommelerwaard. In design studios held at various locations across Gelderland, the teams explored not only possible future scenarios, but also how different ways of working could contribute to the spatial development of the province.
Provincial Executive member Dirk Vreugdenhil: “It is vital not only to follow established paths, but also to experiment. With this exhibition, we look to the future without losing sight of the present. By working together with partners, designers and public authorities to shape that future, we can make Gelderland an even better place.”
After decades of debate between centralised and decentralised governance, alongside the pressures of globalisation, a new role for the province is emerging. No longer merely a connecting force, but an active steering power. Learning from and collaborating with other provinces and partners where necessary, while retaining its own mandate.
Interim ministers have been appointed to advise the Province of Gelderland from their respective areas of expertise. Following a video message from Head of Water Fransje Hooijmeijer, Jet van Zwieten, Head of Energy and Circularity, Floris Schoonderbeek, Head of Food and Agriculture, and Ronald Buiting, Minister of Nature, delivered their maiden speeches. Their passionate addresses were reinforced by analyses from the designers. The participating practices FARO and LOF, LMNL and Dérive, Ziegler | Branderhorst, and Team YIMBA!, a collaboration between KRAFT architecten, COAL studio, LANDLAB and Urban Synergy, were interviewed by moderator Kristian Koreman.
Featuring explanatory texts, videos, visual material from the design teams and their spatial research, the exhibition is free to visit until 30 October at Huis der Provincie, Markt 11. With this, the second edition of the Ministry, Ministry of Make! x Gelderland, has become a reality.