Maastricht,

Those who pay close attention to Maastricht will see a city made of stone. What relevance can the local construction industry still have in an era of far-reaching globalisation? What knowledge is contained within existing buildings and local building cultures? A team of designers, makers, and researchers from TU Delft, MMIA, and Bureau Europa discussed these questions, made plaster scale models of historical Maastricht entrances, and delineated a path from quarry to building. They also analysed work by local heroes and evaluate what natural stone means for a city such as Maastricht.

With this knowledge, they formulated designs for a Ceramics Centre to house the MOSA/Sphinx Collection, critically researching stone as a building material. The project demonstrates how the city’s building culture can inspire innovation and question Maastricht’s identity.

The final product of this project will be exhibited at the Bureau Europa. Through three themes, a journey is navigated from quarry to building.

‘Column’, a film by Adrian Paci
Screened during the exhibition is artist Adrian Paci’s film, Column – an art project following the production of a column, from a quarry in China to its destination in Paris. The project questions the local and global, craft knowledge, place making, and the meaning of building forms.

Publication
The exhibition is accompanied by the publication City of Stone. In addition to the research conducted by the TU, the publication highlights natural stone’s applications, characteristics, and heritage, and it features recent projects using this material. The publication is available from the Bureau Europa.

This exhibition is supported by the Elisabeth Strouven Fund, KIEMand also by Het Nieuwe Instituut in light of their programme track Things and Materials.

Opening: Friday 30 June, from 17:00 to 19:00
Exhibition dates: 1 July – 7 August 2017
Admission: €5,00; €3,00 Students/school pupils; free for museum card holders
Location: Bureau Europa