studio makkink & bey at london design biennale 2016: the archive as a utopic environment

on the invitation of het nieuwe instituut, studio makkink & bey will be representing the netherlands through ‘design diorama: the archive as a utopic environment’ at the london design biennale 2016. the project responds to this years theme ‘utopia by design’ by presenting an archival series of objects, that reflect a selective representation of an ideal world. 

studio makkink & bey will be representing the netherlands at the london design biennale 2016

studio makkink & bey was influenced by the theme ‘utopia by design’, examining the question of how an archive – which is a historical knowledge system – can also be seen as a utopian world. an investigation of traditional archives including libraries, cabinets of curiosities, museums, botanical gardens and collections resulted in the project ‘design diorama: the archive as a utopic environment.’ 

the project presents an archival series of objects that reflect a selective representation of an ideal world

the diorama is a three-dimensional blueprint of the sunday room of the studio makkink & bey residential house, executed in blue foam and bringing together various disciplines such as architecture and art as well as their own work and that of former studio staff. this approach serves to reveal the dutch designer network whilst presenting their personal utopian vision of an archive. 

the diorama is a three-dimensional blueprint of the sunday room of the studio makkink & bey residential house

prompted by this years theme, the studio decided to focus on the elements that constitute towards a model environment for people. jurgen bey explains ‘when creating an ideal world we decided not to focus on the problems or the promises of utopia. we wanted to find out what role the archive would play in such an ideal world. to what extent are you dependent on the institutes that maintain these archives and to what extent are we ourselves as designers responsible for generating an archive? but above all how what form would such an archive take?’

the exhibition will take place at somerset house during the london design biennale 2016 from the 7th to 27th september.

selected objects

Save