ARCAM is currently making an inventory of innovative initiatives that stimulate urban development. We are specifically searching for bottom-up initiatives.

To make the inventory as complete as possible, ARCAM is asking for help. Do you know a spot in Amsterdam where a bottom-up initiative is taking place?
Is a vacant lot being transformed in a vegetable garden? Are student residences realized in an office? Or is a company taking up residence in a scheduled monument? We want to know about it!
We would like to hear who the initiators are, how they arranged their project and what kind of obstacles they found on their way.

The most innovative initiative will be included in the symposium that will be organized by ARCAM on this topic, where the initiators will get the chance to tell about their project in front of an interested crowd.

Please e-mail your suggestions to charlotte@arcam.nl

As a recurring event, the Amsterdam Architecture Prize will also be awarded in 2012! The golden medals will be handed out to the architect and commissioner of a in 2011 completed project, that stands out above all others according to the judges. This year the jury consists of architectural historian Fredie Floré, architecture critic Indira van ‘t Klooster and architect Peter Defesche. Former winners were Dok architecten (2008), Claus en Kaan Architecten (2009), Wiel Arets Architects (2010) and SeARCH (2011).

The nominees of the Amsterdam Architecture Prize 2012 were announced in January. At the end of April the winners will be rewarded, an occasion on which ARCAM will also present the new book Amsterdam Architecture 2011-2012. To top it off, an exhibition will be held in May, in which all of the nominated projects will be on display at the ARCAM gallery.

Click for more information about the Amsterdam Architectural Price.

According to some predictions, the year 2012 will see the apocalypse. Although we expect - and hope - this is to be a superstition, another kind of apocalypse is already upon us. It's the uprooting of the global system that was heralded by 9/11 and accelerated by the economical crisis of 2009.

The Urban Arts Foundation, an initiative of CODE Magazine, is working on the 2012 Survival Kit that will focus on the world after 2012. Product and fashion designers, architects and musicians will be invited to contribute to this exiting and optimistic project by submitting work for the 2012 Survival Kit.

CODE and ARCAM invite architects worldwide to submit designs for sustainable (semi-)prefab and modulair housing for the post-2012 era.

The designs can be submitted via the website www.2012survivalkitproject.com.The deadline closes 21 February 2012.
In this way a collection of work comes into existence that offers the opportunity for an exhibition on the architecture part (21 April - 21 May 2012).

Here you can find the Design Briefing and an interesting article about the project.