Lecture by Wiel Arets and book launch 'Wiel Arets - Bas Princen'

The work of Wiel Arets includes such exceptional buildings as the Double and the IJhal in Amsterdam, the Allianz Headquarters and the Blumenhaus in Zurich, the Jellyfish House in Marbella, the University of Utrecht University, the Hedge House (the Bonnefanten Museum’s annex) in Wijlre, and the V-House in Maastricht.

His lecture includes discussion of his role as a designer of numerous design and functional objects. Arets’ designs for Alessi include a kitchen, sanitary ware, cutlery, watches, and various kitchen accessories including salt and pepper shakers. He also designed the Jellyfish Chair, LRC Chair, and Bikini Chair. For the jeweller Leon Martens, he designed a silver candlestick.

Wiel Arets is also an educator. He is currently Dean of the Illinois Institute of Technology’s (IIT) College of Architecture (CoA) in Chicago. He was previously a member of the Advisory Board of Princeton University and visiting professor at the Universität der Künste in Berlin, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Washington University in St. Louis, RWTH Aachen University in Aachen, and he held the Berlage Chair of Architecture at TU Delft.

Following the lecture, Wiel Arets presents his latest publication ‘Wiel Arets – Bas Princen’ to Alderman Gerdo van Grootheest.

Arets's architecture, including the Art Academy in Maastricht, is seldom fully shown in the book, which instead focuses on the strong symbolic nature of his work. The images question the relationship between interior and exterior, and rather than buildings, the book presents an impression as seen through trees, abstract paintings, or the silhouettes of sculptures.

Saskia van Stein, Director of Bureau Europe, moderates the event.

Date: 4 November
Time: 20:00 – 22:00
Entrance: free
Language: English
Location: Bureau Europa