Stimuleringsfonds

Together with the Prince Claus Fund, it was our privilege to bring together the third cohort of the Building Beyond mentorship programme for an intensive lab week in the Netherlands. Linking together twelve makers from eight African countries, the programme focused on reflections relating to urban challenges and dynamics, primarily on the African continent.

14 November 2024

The selected participants are experts in diverse disciplines, ranging from architecture and urbanism to digital design, technology, film, photography and performance art. For the duration of one year, they were guided by four mentors: Fatima Bintou Rassoul Sy, Ola Hassanain, Khensani Jurczok-de Klerk and Hicham Bouzid, with whom they explored issues around vernacular spatial practices and the dynamics of public spaces in African cities.

Lab week in the Netherlands

The lab week, which took place from 23 to 28 October 2024, comprised a varied programme of workshops, mentor sessions, guided tours and a public symposium. The opening session by Fellows Victor Adéwálé and Oratile Mothoagae was followed by an in-depth exploration of global construction strategies at culture platform Metro54. A very valuable element was the exploration of Amsterdam’s Bijlmer district, led by urbanist Wouter Pocornie of Bijlmer Believers 3.0 and The Black Archives Bijlmer. The programme was further enriched with workshops about global construction strategies, a Cape Verdean music tour through architecture studio Spatial Codes, and individual mentor sessions.

Intersecting Geographies and Technologies: on African Spatial Practices

The week concluded with a public symposium at Kunstinstituut Melly in Rotterdam, titled Intersecting Geographies and Technologies: on African Spatial Practices. This symposium examined how geography and technology influence each other in global practices. The concept of technology was interpreted broadly, with an emphasis on human interaction and collaboration as fundamental elements of innovative urban development.

De week eindige met een publiek symposium bij Kunstinstituut Melly in Rotterdam: Intersecting Geographies and Technologies: on African Spatial Practices. Dit symposium onderzocht hoe geografie en technologie elkaar beïnvloeden in mondiale praktijken. Technologie werd breed geïnterpreteerd, met nadruk op menselijke interactie en samenwerking als fundamentele elementen voor innovatieve stedelijke ontwikkeling.

Final Building Beyond in 2025

Next year, the Creative Industries Fund NL and the Prince Claus Fund will organise the fourth and final edition of the Building Beyond mentorship programme. The selection will be announced in early 2025.

For more information about the Building Beyond participants and mentors, please visit the Prince Claus Fund’s website.