6th Iconic Houses Conference June 2020

CONFERENCE | 02-08.06.2020 | Rotterdam

Pioneers of the Dutch Modern House
6th International Iconic Houses Conference

The conference will take place 2 to 8 June 2020 at Het Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam.
REGISTER early to secure your place – space is limited and tickets may sell out before the deadline for registration (Friday, 15 May 2020).

Programme for this year’s Iconic Houses Conference in Rotterdam – will include visits to circa 23 unique houses in the Netherlands, Belgium and France! You can see the full programme HERE, from October 1st. All registration is subject to availability. The organisers advise you to register early to secure a spot, since space is limited and events may sell out before the deadline.
Themes addressed in the conference will include:

Pioneers of the Dutch Modern House
The conference will explore 20th-century Dutch architecture from the Amsterdam School to Post-Modernism, visiting wonderful homes by Rietveld, J.J.P. Oud and Brinkman & Van der Vlugt, and others in Utrecht, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Several of these are examples of social housing – an area in which the Netherlands is particularly rich.

Saving Icons at Risk
Much recent heritage remains unprotected – and therefore vulnerable. Icons at Risk is a research project that aims to help protect and support threatened 20th-century houses. At the conference, we highlight some of the homes currently under threat, and learn from success stories such as Villa Cavrois (from condemned building to 100,000 visitors annually).

House Tours to Brussels, Lille and Paris
As well as the rich Dutch Modernist heritage, there’s a unique opportunity to see some of the most important 20th-century homes in Belgium and France, with our post-conference house tours. Expect masterpieces from Art Nouveau to Brutalism.

Expert Meeting I
Sustainable Conservation and the Modern House

In response to the current climate crisis, Modern house owners are increasingly pursuing energy-saving measures. Sustainable conservation, often relying on tailor-made technical solutions to maintain architectural integrity, is an opportunity to prepare a building for the years to come. So where to start? While larger investments such as solar panels, heat installations, insulation and special building materials require extensive planning and funds, owners can save considerable energy through small steps such as more energy-efficient heating systems, draught strips and curtains or shutters. The case studies in this session present ways to make historic houses more sustainable.

Expert Meeting II
After 1965: Hope for Modern Heritage Houses?

Younger examples of architectural heritage can be particularly vulnerable, as they usually lack official protection – or even recognition. Luckily, there is a growing consensus that this more recent heritage is worth preserving. The Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, for example, has started the Verkenning Post 65 project to map the rich heritage dating from the post-1965 period, and to explore how it relates to contemporary requirements including sustainability. A wide range of speakers from government organizations, private associations and local municipal heritage offices present case studies that illuminate the dilemmas decision makers encounter concerning young monuments.

More information & source: www.iconichouses.org