ICOMOS lezing Re-Thinking Re-Use Japan, 12 februari, Amstelkerk, 19h30

Re-Thinking RE-USE JAPAN

Heritage and sustainable development in Japan

Guest-speakers: Jarrik Ouburg and Yukiko Nezu

Date:  12 February 2025

Time: 19h30-21h00 (drinks and meal from 18h30)
Place: ON-SITE at the Amstelkerk, Amstelveld 10, Amsterdam
Language: English

Dear ICOMOS members and heritage friends,

Herewith we cordially invite you to attend this year’s first ICOMOS lecture evening, to be held in Amsterdam’s Amstelkerk on Wednesday 12 February.

This evening’s topic is adaptive re-use. We will learn how Japan and the Netherlands cooperate on the topic. Jarrik Ouburg will tell us about his project Re-Thinking Re-Use, that seeks for synergy between the two countries on the topic. Where and how can we learn from each other? But also, and maybe more intriguing, can the two countries join forces to find common approaches to shared challenges? Yukiko Nezu will share her experience in this bilateral cooperation. She will tell us about the recently conducted workshop in Kurashiki, combining the expertise from two sides of the world.

Feel welcome to join and feel free to share this announcement.

We are looking forward receiving you on 12 February at the Amstelkerk in Amsterdam,

ICOMOS-NL’s Lecture Committee,

Ankie Petersen, Anna Louwerse, Daan Lavies, Emma Egberts. Jacomine Hendrikse, Jean-Paul Corten, Milou Derksen, Remco Vermeulen

Register: register here

Costs for attending the lecture amount EURO 5,- (free for ICOMOS-NL members). Costs for the meal amount EURO 15,- (drinks not included). Payments can only be made by QR-code on the spot.

PROGRAMME – ON-SITE event in Amsterdam

18h30 Joint Meal
19h30 Opening and Introduction – Jean-Paul Corten
19h45 Re-Thinking Re-Use – Jarrik Ouburg
20h15 Break
20h30 The Case of Kurashiki – Yukiko Nezu
21h00 End

Re-Thinking Re-Use by Jarrik Ouburg

Re-Thinking Re-Use is a project by HOH Architecten, in collaboration with the Japan-Netherlands Architecture and Cultural Association (JNACA) and with the support of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE). The project aims to foster a cultural dialogue between the Dutch and Japanese building cultures, where diverse perspectives enrich and inspire one another. By learning from each other’s traditions and viewpoints on the old, the new and change, a new guiding balance is sought. In an era where the construction sector faces its detrimental ecological impact and various associated societal issues, Re-Thinking Re-Use tries to formulate a perspective on finding such a new balance.

The project embraces the potential reuse of existing buildings, creating a dialogue between current and previous generations of architects and builders. Thus providing a sustainable and culturally enriching alternative to demolition-new construction and historicising architecture. This aspect of continuity and evolution within the built environment not only provides an environmentally sustainable path, but also strengthens the long-standing cultural and historical ties within a society.

Re-Thinking Re-Use is selected by Het Nieuwe Instituut to be part of the cultural program of the Dutch pavilion at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka.

The case of Kurashiki by Yukiko Nezu

Kurashiki is a historic city located in Okayama Prefecture, in Western Japan. It is known for its well-preserved traditional architecture, picturesque canals, and rich cultural heritage. Kurashiki’s inner city is listed as national conservation area. It therefore is a major tourist attraction but besides arises new urban challenges.

The workshop Reuse, Redevelop and Design was executed between 5 and 10 November 2024 in Kurashiki together with the local municipality, university, NGO’s, architects and the residents. The workshop was supported by the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE) and the Amsterdam based architectural office Urbanberry Design. During the workshop we explored the future perspective of Kurashiki’s historic core from macro to micro scale and exchanged knowledge of cultural heritage development. How can Kurashiki’s historic features meet today’s needs? The idea is that if these features are useful to modern society, they are more likely to be preserved and passed on to future generations.

Speakers: Yukiko Nezu & Jarrik Ouburg

Yukiko Nezu is an architect based in Amsterdam and the founder of Urbanberry Design. She obtained her Master of Engineering from Tokyo City University in 1996, and, with support from NUFFIC, studied at the Berlage Institute in Amsterdam from 1997 to 2000. After establishing her studio in 2005, Yukiko became a registered architect in the Netherlands. URBANBERRY offers three-dimensional designs that explore the relation between people, objects and space. Our designs are like little berries that grow, not only in your garden but also in wild open fields in a city. Recent work is for Schiphol to design a renovation toolbox and identify material use for 120 staff rooms and 120 sanitary cluster rooms. Urbanberry also served as the local architect for the Japanese Pavilion at the Floriade Expo 2022. Yukiko is currently writing Experimental City Amsterdam – Bottom Up for a Japanese publisher. www.urbanberry.com

Jarrik Ouburg (1975) studied architecture at the TU Delft and ETH in Zürich. He worked for renowned intonational offices in Switzerland, Belgium and Japan before founding HOH Architecten in 2017, together with Freyke Hartemink. HOH’s work focuses on different scales of the urban landscape with projects ranging from interiors and exhibitions to buildings and urban plans.

Jarrik is active in the academic domain and has been a lecturer and critic at several international institutions and was a research fellow at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. From 2012 to 2016 he was the head of the Architecture department at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture. During that period he founded the research ‘Tabula Scripta’ that resulted in the book ‘Rewriting Architecture – 10+1 Actions’.

Jarrik is a member of the Spatial Quality Committee City of Amsterdam, which advises the city on the integral quality of the physical living environment.