Archis Foundation, Amsterdam

Publication "Paths through the Jungle

The publication will be a collection of articles - both a snapshot of the times and an example of high-quality criticism by Hans van Dijk. It will be a portrait of his work as a journalist, critic and editor-in-chief, as well as of an influential generation of designers and the social debate of the time about structuralism, urban renewal, (post-)modernism, and the legitimacy of architecture and urban development. In the work of the critic Hans van Dijk (1948-2021), several main themes can be recognised that to this day form core issues in the discipline of architecture, urban design and landscape architecture. Questions such as 'what is the relationship between the state and the professional community', 'is urban planning the playing field of the (national) government and architecture of private parties, or are these relationships different', and 'designing: on whose behalf and in whose name' are a thread that runs through the documents he wrote. By once again drawing attention to an inspiring and influential voice from the heyday of architectural criticism, a new generation of writers can be inspired.