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16-01-12 // BOARD ON FACEBOOK



As of today BOARD can be followed on facebook.


02-01-12 // INTERVIEW IN OLDSCHOOL



The Prague-based magazine "Oldschool" interviewed Bernd Upmeyer for their 3. issue. Oldschool is a group project of the three designers Hana Vanátková, Adam Uchytil, and Pavel Brejcha, who are working in the field of visual communication, graphic design and fashion.

Oldschool: What does teamwork look like in your studio/publishing house?
Bernd Upmeyer: At my studio in Rotterdam every team member or collaborator is not only asked to, but also expected to, continuously express and share his own opinions and propose new directions, whether he is an intern or an experienced designer or a theorist.

...read the entire interview in Publications.


22-12-11 // INTERVIEW WITH BERND UPMEYER AT ARCHIZINES EXHIBITION



London's Architectural Association interviewed Bernd Upmeyer for the Archizines Exhibition. The answers were screened at the exhibition.

Architectural Association: What is the relationship between architecture and publishing?
Bernd Upmeyer: To a certain extent, both architecture and publishing can be understood as processes of information production. Yet, neither architecture nor publishing should be completely reduced to the production of information. However, when I started publishing MONU magazine around seven years ago, after having been trained first and foremost as an architect, the first printed issue of MONU became in a way my first fully realized, or to put it more correctly, my first fully built project under my own name. In this way, and from my point of view, publishing and architecture were very closely related. Nevertheless, in my experience, the production of architecture is a much more active and narcissistic process, whilst the production of a publication is far more passive, more mediating and collaborative.

AA: How do you ‘edit’ architecture?
Bernd Upmeyer: MONU magazine is first of all a magazine on urbanism that focuses on cities in a broader sense, including their politics, economies, geographies, their social aspects, but also their physical structures, the point where architecture comes into play. In that sense architecture is only one field of many in the magazine - fields which are all brought together under the umbrella term urbanism. When editing the magazine, I of course always try to select those contributions that are most relevant for the chosen topic for the particular issue in order to come to conclusions regarding the problem under discussion. But what I find actually more interesting about the question “how I edit architecture” is the impact that MONU can have on cities and thus on the built environment - the architecture. Because I believe that by putting certain topics on the agenda, the magazine is actually able to modify and even correct, and therefore “edit”, architecture by changing and manipulating the views and perspectives of its readers in a positive way, which will eventually also influence the built environments in our cities.

AA: What is the role of printed matter in the digital age?
Bernd Upmeyer: I think that the role of printed matter in the digital age is very much related to the costly, complicated and time-consuming way in which printed publications are produced and distributed. Everybody who has ever produced a printed publication knows what I am talking about. Even if you simply print your magazine on an ink-jet printer in your kitchen and staple it together by yourself, it still remains so much harder to do than publishing something online. And once you have made that kind of effort, you are not going to waste it on low-quality information. That fact alone secures a certain quality among printed publications. Furthermore, I believe that a certain fascination with “materiality”, with real and physical objects will never entirely disappear. Although MONU magazine is already available digitally as well, I could not imagine producing it only digitally at this moment. The idea that a magazine can be a physical object of art and not only a transmitter of information always appealed to me.

AA: How are architectural publications changing?
Bernd Upmeyer: I would be tempted to say that the increased accessibility and availability of information and the easier connectivity between people that the internet provides today, can only be judged positively. But whether it works for you as an advantage or disadvantage depends on your approach. The whole situation offers both: great opportunities, but also great dangers of misuse. Because what I see is that, especially over the last ten years, the situation has impacted and changed architectural publications in a lot of negative ways. The reality that producing a magazine became so much easier and faster than twenty years ago, resulted in the fact that today the shelves of bookshops, but also a huge number of internet websites, are groaning under the weight of an ever-growing stack of rather uncritical, low-quality and image-oriented architectural publications that will eventually hollow out the entire architectural profession.


08-12-11 // ARTIST NO MORE



Bernd Upmeyer has been interviewed by the Milan-based magazine "STUDIO".

STUDIO: Officially today we live in an urbanized world. More than 50% of humanity live in urban contexts. Is this the age of urbanity or the age of the crises complexity?
Bernd Upmeyer: If you ask me like that I would rather say that it is the age of urbanity, because crises always happened. It is not that we are just now having a lot of crises and we never had them before. But I also don't see exactly the relation between the age of urbanity and the crises we are facing at moment. First of all you have to define what kind of crises you're talking about. Today we are dealing for example with three main crises: the financial crisis, the climate crisis, but also the geo-political crisis.

STUDIO: So this is not an urban topic?
BU: That depends on what crisis you are talking about. The current financial crisis, for example, has of course an impact on cities, but cities did not produce the financial crisis to begin with. If you wish to talk about the relation of the climate crisis to cities, then you can of course also say that the recent enormous population growths of cities did not make the situation easier. However, we can speak of an urban age, mainly because of the vast movements of people from the countryside to the cities, which happened especially in Asia - a tendency that does not happen so much in the Western world, where cities are rather shrinking.

...continue reading the entire interview here.


30-11-11 // BOARD MOVED



The Bureau of Architecture, Research, and Design moved to new office spaces in Rotterdam. BOARD's new address is: Kipstraat 7B, 3011 RR Rotterdam, The Netherlands.


25-11-11 // BOARD LAUNCHES MONU #15: POST-IDEOLOGICAL URBANISM



This new MONU issue on the topic of Post-Ideological Urbanism probably touches on one of the most fascinating and biggest issues of our time and in our culture, or what is left of it: the non-ideological - or better post-ideological - conditions of our society when it comes to cities. Today, ideology appears to have become, and to have been reduced to, something merely aesthetic, something you can buy yourself into as Wouter Vanstiphout explains in an interview with us entitled "Acrobatic Narratives". In that sense cities have become suspicious territories where hypocrisy and fakery prevail when it comes to urban ideologies and one wishes to have some kind of optical device that detects all the lies, similar to a kind of night vision infrared technology that Thomas Ruff used in his "Nacht Series" applying the same technology that was used during the Gulf War...read the entire editorial in Publications.


24-10-11 // BERND UPMEYER CONTRIBUTES TO CLOG MAGAZINE'S FIRST ISSUE



The newly founded New York-based architecture magazine CLOG is featuring a contribution by Bernd Upmeyer entitled "Any Press is Good Press". Their first issue focused on Bjarke Ingels.

"Dedicating an entire issue of a magazine to criticism of a single person-in this case the architect Bjarke Ingels - can be a tricky thing and ultimately spoil the publication's original intention. After all, any press is good press. The entire thing might almost look like one of Bjarke's publicity stunts, well-planned and designed to attract the public's attention. To avoid giving Bjarke even more attention than he already attracts through his extraordinary talents in self-promotion and self-marketing, most of the rather serious and critical architecture magazines have not paid him too much attention yet. However, the fairly uncritical and image-oriented magazines publish him excessively as they wish to ride on his coattails and profit from his popularity while using him as a cash cow to sell copies...continue reading in Publications.


10-10-11 // "EL EDITOR URBANO" APPEARS IN THE HIATUS BOOK



Bernd Upmeyer's concept of the "Urban Editor" has been published in the 2011 edition of the Hiatus Book, a publication for opinions and reflections about design. The book is produced by the Valencia-based studio Sanserif.

"In the near future, the interior architect might be best positioned to become the ultimate designer of space, replacing and eradicating professions such as architect and urban designer. But to become such an important figure, the interior architect has to move ahead and reinvent and transform himself into an advanced and superior version of his own existence and become an "Urban Editor" with an extended knowledge of the heritage and history of the cultural landscape and the urban environment. To succeed in the future he will have to face the past. But the interior architect has lived long enough as a Clark Kentian "mild-mannered reporter" in the metropolis of our planet. As urban editor he may leave his bespectacled old ego behind and display the super-abilities of the interior architect...continue reading in Publications.


04-09-11 // BOARD/ STAR PROJECT UNDER CONSTRUCTION



BOARD is working together with STAR on the redesign of the interior of an office space in the centre of Rotterdam. The space was previously occupied by a Diamond centre and is located in an office building where Hugh Maaskant had his architecture bureau in the 1950s. The construction started in August and is expected to be finished in October. A complete project description will be published in Projects soon.


26-07-11 // E80 PUBLISHED IN "NOMADIC SETTLERS - SETTLED NOMADS"



Bernd Upmeyer contributed with an essay entitled "E80: On the Road to Binational Urbanism" to the publication "Nomadic Settlers - Settled Nomads" of a group exhibition with the same title that takes place in the Kunstraum Kreuzberg, Berlin from July 2nd to August 28. The exhibition is curated by Bonaventure S. B. Ndikung, Simone Kraft and Pauline Doutreluingne as a research on contemporary nomadism, dealing with the complex theme of the human sense of settlement and its manifold facets. The concept of nomadism, migration, settlement will be perceived in a physical and meta-physical level, rotating around the real and the imaginary, the existential and the non-existential, the trivial and the profound, still with both feet on the ground. Read excerpts of the essay in Publications.


17-06-11 // MONU MAGAZINE IS FEATURED IN ABITARE

MONU magazine appears in an article by Francisco Gonzalez de Canales in the Milan-based architecture magazine Abitare as one of the rising independent magazines. "At a time when all talk is about the internet and digital information, you might think that paper-based publications are about to disappear..."


27-05-11 // FREE SPACE IS PUBLISHED IN FUTURE ARQUITECTURAS' CHINA EDITION



BOARD's awarded design for the House of Arts and Culture in Beirut, Lebanon entitled "Free Space" is published in Future Arquitecturas' China Edition #2. This proposal caught the attention of the jury with its playful and engaging imagery. It was easily imagined full of life and encouraging cultural engagement of all sectors of society with its approachability.
 

29-04-11 // BERND UPMEYER IS GUEST CRITIC AT RESEARCH COURSE "GOD SAVE ARCHITECTURE"



Bernd Upmeyer is guest critic at Tilburg's Academie voor Architectuur en Stedenbouw in the spring term 2011's research course entitled "God Save Architecture" led by Beatriz Ramo. "God Save Architecture" aims to develop critical assessments of today’s most dangerous clichés, assumptions, and demagoguery in the field of architecture.


18-04-11 // BOARD RELEASES MONU #14 ON EDITING URBANISM



Despite the current urgency to deal with the enormous potential of the already existing urban material as Urban Editors, there seems still to be an enormous lack of interest in topics such as urban and architectural restoration, preservation, renovation, redevelopment, renewal or adaptive reuse of old structures among architects and urban designers. But ignorance in this matter can only be dismissed as socially irresponsible and economically and culturally unacceptable. But what might be the reason for the prevailing ignorance? Who is to blame? Why is Urban Editing considered to be so utterly unattractive?...continue reading here


02-03-11 // "ATREE?" IS EXHIBITED AT SALON ECOBAT IN PARIS



From March 3 until March 5 BOARD's "Atree?" project can be seen at Salon Ecobat in Paris. "Atree?" was one of 22 finalists of 336 submitted projects for the European Competition of Architecture, Design, Realisations in Eco and Agro-Materials.


03-11-10 // BOARD'S PROJECT "ATREE?" IS PUBLISHED IN D MAGAZINE



"Atree?" has been published in issue #712 of the weekly cultural supplement “D” of the Italian daily newspaper la Repubblica. La Repubblica is the second largest Italian daily general-interest newspaper with a circulation of 556.325 copies.


29-10-10 // MONU IS FEATURED IN ELLEGIRL KOREA



MONU has been featured as "cool & strange" in the issue #6 2010 of the Korean edition of ELLEgirl.


05-10-10 // BOARD LAUNCHES MONU #13: MOST VALUABLE URBANISM



When John Lennon was photographed by the legendary rock 'n' roll photographer Bob Gruen, wearing a New York City T-shirt in the year 1974, he proudly expressed his love for the city of New York. For Lennon, although born in Liverpool, New York City was without doubt the most valuable city...continue reading on www.monu-magazine.com.


13-09-10 // BOARD'S "PARADISE CITY" IS EXHIBITED IN AACHEN

BOARD's project "Paradise City" is currently exhibited at the Ludwig Forum in Aachen, Germany. Paradise City was one of BOARD's first projects and has been created together with STAR - strategies + architecture . The exhibiton, entitled "West Arch – a new generation in architecture" , opened on September 12 and will run until November 14.


18-08-10 // MONU MAGAZINE IS DISPLAYED AT THE BALTIMORE BOOK FESTIVAL



MONU magazine on urbanism has been invited to be on display at the Baltimore Book Festival in Maryland, USA from September 24-26, 2010. The festival will take place in the historic and picturesque Mount Vernon Place. MONU will be part of an exhibition called “Creative Control”, a collection of zines, self-published and independent art books and magazines.


02-08-10 // MONU #12 EXHIBITED AT "LA CASA ENCENDIDA" IN MADRID



MONU magazine on urbanism #12 on "Real Urbanism" is being exhibited at "la casa encendida" in Madrid, Spain. The exhibition entitled "de zines", curated by Roberto Vidal and Oscar Martín, features independent publications (magazines, fanzines, artbooks and others). Around 400 international works are shown from June 29th, 2010 throughout all the summer.


29-06-10 // BERND UPMEYER IS GUEST CRITIC IN TILBURG



Bernd Upmeyer is guest critic for the graduate studies at the Fontys Academy of Architecture and Urbanism in Tilburg, The Netherlands.


18-06-10 // BOARD'S ENTRY FOR "ADREAM" COMPETITION EXHIBITED IN CHANTILLY



As one of 22 finalists of 336 submitted projects for the European Competition of Architecture, Design, Realisations
in Eco and Agro-Materials, BOARD's awarded entry entitled "ATREE?" has been exhibited in the Chantilly Castle in France.

Imagine a project that does not need to be constructed, because - being a tree - it grows by itself. Such a project only needs to be planted. The only materials to be transported are the seeds for planting. And the only energy spent is to prevent hastiness and impetuousness as such a project needs a lot of time and patience to grow. But this proposed project is not only a tree. It is a living installation that is made out of several trees. It can be used for pleasure, relaxation or as an exhibition space. Once the seeds have been planted, the installation takes around thirty months to grow into its final form. The tree used for the installation is a fast growing willow. To weave the willow into different shapes for different living installation, the bioplastic Polyamide 11, made of castor plant vegetal oil, can be used as a mold. By using differently shaped molds, all kind of different patterns can be produced


16-06-10 // ME(U)TROZONE PUBLISHED IN IBA PUBLICATION VOLUME 4



BOARD's ME(U)TROZONE study has been published in the 4th volume of the Internationale Bauausstellung (International Building Exhibition) entitled Metropolis: Metrozones.
As transitional areas between different parts of a city, metrozones are without doubt closely related to the transit routes that link entire cities with one another...

Get more information about the study in projects.


30-05-10 // THE NEW BLACK - INTERVIEW WITH BERND UPMEYER



Bernd Upmeyer has been interviewed by the Portuguese Contemporary Architecture and Art Magazine arqa.

arqa: Given your interest in radical urban research and your activity as editor of MONU magazine, how would you interpret the situation and the current relations between architecture and the global market?
Bernd Upmeyer: In an increasingly interconnected world and ever- growing interdependence of national economies across the world that led ultimately to the emergence of a global marketplace, architects - as all other corporations and industries - are challenged and threatened in their existence more than ever before. Today, an architect based in the city of Lisbon does not only compete over clients and commissions with architects from Porto, but also with architects from São Paulo, New York or Tokyo...

Read the entire interview in publications.


18-05-10 // BERND UPMEYER LECTURES IN HAMBURG



Bernd Upmeyer will lecture about the work of BOARD and the study "E80" on binational urbanism in particular at the HafenCity University Hamburg on May 25, 19:00.


05-05-10 // BOARD SELECTED FOR FINAL PHASE OF "ADREAM" COMPETITION

The proposal of the Bureau of Architecture, Research, and Design (BOARD) has been selected out of 336 projects for the final phase of the European Competition of Architecture, Design, Realisations
in Eco and Agro-Materials organized by Region Picardie and the Free State of Thueringen.


07-04-10 // BERND UPMEYER ADJUNCT PROFESSOR



Bernd Upmeyer will start teaching as adjunct professor at the HafenCity University Hamburg. In the coming summer semester he will conduct a seminar at the Department of Urban Design entitled "Most Valuable Cities".


11-03-10 // MONU #12 ON REAL URBANISM RELEASED

Just like the "Ideal Woman" on the cover of this issue on Real Urbanism - a sculpture by the Brooklyn based artist Tony Matelli - most of our cities are shaped by a particular set of values... read more here!


25-02-10// MONU AT THE "BOOKMARK NAGOYA"



MONU magazine will be exhibited during the "Bookmark Nagoya" event in the city of Nagoya, Japan. The exhibition will take place from March 20th to April 20th 2010. More than 50 organizations will exhibit rare publications, vintage books, magazines, picture books from around the world. Various conferences with editors and writers take place, as well as temporary book making workshops among others are offered for all generations.


19-10-09// MONU AT TOKYO DESIGN WEEK

MONU magazine on urbanism will be exhibited during the TOKYO DESIGN WEEK from October 30th to November 3rd 2009 inside the main venue of the 100% DESIGN TOKYO hall. The Magazine Library space
will be in the center of the main venue.


25-08-09 // MONU #11 - CLEAN URBANISM RELEASED



Do we simply have to stop having sex to produce Clean Urbanism...?
Check the new issue at www.monu-magazine.com


17-07-09 // MONU MAGAZINE ON URBANISM WILL BE EXHIBITED
AT THE "A FEW ZINES" EXHIBITION IN LOS ANGELES FROM AUGUST 14 TO 16

The A Few Zines show has been in New York and Boston, and is now coming to Los Angeles. The LA Forum hosts the insta-show for three days on Hollywood Blvd. The festivities kick off Friday, August 14 with a panel discussion and opening party.


25-03-09 // BOARD WINS AN HONOURABLE MENTION IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE
COMPETITION FOR THE HOUSE OF ARTS AND CULTURE IN BEIRUT, LEBANON

BOARD has been selected out of more than 400 entries and won an honourable mention. The prize-winning design will be exhibited during the award-winning ceremony in April in Beirut.


16-03-09 // BOARD'S PROPOSAL FOR THE BUILDING FOR BOUWKUNDE COMPETITION HAS BEEN SELECTED FOR THE SECOND ROUND

BOARD has been selected out of 466 entries in the Open International Ideas Competition Building for Bouwkunde for the second round and is being exhibited at the NAi exhibition Building for Bouwkunde from March 15, 2009 - June 7, 2009.

The jury reports: "This entry is an intelligent and simple project, featuring a formula of two buildings in one. It is an example of a dynamic high-rise, in which sufficient attention has been given to issues of sustainability. The design proposal has potential for rich spatial development."


29-01-09 // MONU HAS BEEN SELECTED TO BE PART OF THE MOOH EVENT IN TOKYO

MONU - magazine on urbanism has been selected from magazines around the world to be exhibited from March 5 to March 14 2009 in a temporary magazine library in the Omotesando Hills building complex in Tokyo, Japan. MONU will be part of the MOOH event: "The Magazine of Omotesando Hills Library".


11-04-08 // BOARD WINS PURCHASE PRIZE IN INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION

BOARD wins a purchase prize in the International Design Competition for the new building for the Estonian Academy of Art in Tallinn.


28-01-08 // BOARD HAS BEEN SUGGESTED ONE OF THE TOP10 ARCHITECTS UNDER 40 IN NETHERLANDS > NEW DUTCH BLOOD

BOARD has been suggested as one of the new dutch emerging architects by nib. If you think BOARD should be one of the the TOP10, please vote at info@newitalianblood.com.


31-01-07 // BOARD IS FINALIST in the International Architectural Design Competition for the New Headquarters for the Wexford County Council in Ireland.