Sailing beyond the Pillars of Hercules, Image by David Potente, ©David Potente Around six years ago, our issue #8 entitled “Border Urbanism” focused on urban phenomena that appear in cities that are located close to nation-state borders. We were fascinated by the fact that when cities are located close to borders, they often foster very […]
As of today BOARD can be followed on Instagram.
Cover: Illustrations from Jonathan A. Scelsa’s contribution “Enfiladed Grids: The Museum as City” on page 9 that examine various city grids being overlaid over the figure of London’s National Gallery. While our world is progressively becoming more urban everywhere, a process is on its way that seems to penetrate increasingly every part of our life […]
Approaching Paris, page 56 – 57 BOARD and STAR contributed with their research project “The Legend of Grand Paris, or How Paris Became Great” to the 2nd issue of the magazine “Constelaciones”, which is the architecture magazine of the Madrid-based San Pablo University. Cover of Constelaciones #2
Homogeneous Infiltration for Piano, Joseph Beuys, 1966 Bernd Upmeyer contributed a piece entitled “Shades of Grey” to the Saturated Space Research Cluster at London’s Architectural Association. The article celebrates the colour of grey as one of the most relevant colours of today because of its symbolic power to represent diversity. The text reveals how the […]
On October 4 and 5, 2014 MONU’s issue #20 on Geographical Urbanism will be exhibited on the Vancouver Art/Book Fair. Free and open to the public, the Vancouver Art/Book Fair is the only international art book fair in Canada and one of only two on the West Coast. In 2014 the event is anticipated to […]
BOARD’s proposal for a school in Mölln, Germany has been chosen as one of the best 21 designs out of 61 entries and reached the second round. The jury of the open competition ranked BOARD’s project 14th. Details of this project are published in Architecture.
As more and more magazines of various ilks cease publication each year (87 in 2013 according to one source, though over 100 started in the same period) or fold into all-digital versions, it’s always good to see titles going strong, particularly in the realms of architecture and urbanism. Even with the difficulties in running print […]
BOARD has been commissioned to design a single house in the centre of Germany. Construction is scheduled to start in spring 2015.
From March 28 – April 7 MONU #19 on Greater Urbanism has been exhibited in Arnhem at the Independent Magazines Biennale. The event was organized by “Facing Pages” that was founded by Joost van der Steen and William van Giessen (O.K. PARKING) in 2010. As graphic designers and publishers of independent magazines, they discovered a […]
Interior of João Batista Vilanova Artigas’ School of Architecture and Urbanism at the University of São Paulo When a few years ago we at MONU made the huge mistake of travelling in August to Tokyo, the warmest month of the year in this part of the humid subtropical climate-zone, we were constantly forced to find […]
Cover: Image “AMARC#3; Tucson, Arizona, USA, 2006” from Edward Burtynsky’s contribution “Seduction and Fear”. Photo ©Edward Burtynsky, courtesy Nicholas Metivier Gallery, Toronto/ Flowers, London. Contrary to the simplified linear causality of the environmentalism of the past, which posited that natural geography shapes urban patterns, it is now thought that contemporary urbanization shapes the surface of […]
MONU Magazine is featured in the publication “All ABOUT MAGS” that is published by the China-based publishing house SendPoints. SendPoints is distributing design books from their offices in Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai. ALL ABOUT MAGS aims to introduce excellent and distinctive magazines from around the world. According to them each of the 61 featured magazines […]
Bernd Upmeyer contributed a piece called “From Exhausted to Excited” to the New York/ London-based publication “BI” that is edited by E. Sean Bailey and Erandi de Silva. BI describes itself as a publication focused on the exchanges between architecture and its wider cultural context. This particular issue was focused on the topic “FREE”: “There […]
The presentation of the winning proposal for the ZAC Gare Ardoines at the Pavillon de l’Arsenal in Paris in April 2013 BOARD will collaborate with STAR – strategies + architecture for the urban plan of the ZAC Gare Ardoines in Paris, an area of 50ha, where 1 million square metres will be built over the […]
BOARD has finalized a new research project. This new project entitled “The Legend of Grand Paris, or How Paris Became Great – Let’s Build Grand Paris Ensemble” was realized by STAR – strategies + architecture and BOARD as the second part of an ongoing research for the AIGP – Atelier International du Grand Paris, in […]
The Hong Kong-based monthly art, design and lifestyle magazine MILK X talked with Bernd Upmeyer about MONU Magazine. MILK X has a monthly print run of 300.000 copies and is distributed in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The following interview is published in MILK X’s January 2014 issue: MILK X: How did you come up […]
With this publication entitled “Architect’s Notebook – The Treasure House of Idea” the South Korea-based publishing house “DAMDI Publishing” tried to figure out what is drawn inside an architect’s Notebook. According to them, architects use notebooks as their treasure chests of ideas. They wanted to look into what those intimate sketches and writings mean to […]
BOARD’s Styrofoam chair and stool “MARI AND LYN” are featured in Rotterdam’s Art Calender 2014 (De Grote Rotterdamse Kunstkalender). The MARI and LYN project is a do-it-yourself-project to its core and designed to be used by anybody who is interested in and in need of affordable new office or home seats. The material used is […]
On Friday, October 25, at 14:00 at the Berlage, Beatriz Ramo lectured about the research project entitled “Co-Residence: Habiter en Grand” that was realized by STAR – strategies + architecture and BOARD as the first part of an ongoing research for the AIGP – Atelier International du Grand Paris, in the framework of «Habiter le […]
Cover image of MONU #19: ‘The ‘Étoile’ of Grand Paris – The Radiant Typologies of Greater Paris’ was produced by STAR strategies + architecture and BOARD. The image, featuring the Arc de Triomphe surrounded by the typologies of Grand Paris, is part of their research project “Construisons le Grand Paris Ensemble – Or the Story […]
BOARD designed a chair called MARI and a stool named LYN to be used for free. Both pieces of furniture can be self-built within just a few hours. The MARI and LYN project is a do-it-yourself-project to its core and designed to be used by anybody who is interested in and in need of affordable […]
From 12 – 22 September MONU Magazine is exhibited in the Arts Centre of Foundation Serra Henriques in Lisbon, Portugal as an Associated Project of the 2013 Lisbon Architecture Triennale. From 13 – 15 September MONU #18 on “Communal Urbanism” (photo) is on display at the Vilnius Book Festival in Lithuania. The Festival is bringing […]
MONU #18 has been featured in the weekend edition of the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” on August 3. MONU appeared in the article entitled “Hier ist die ganze Welt Papier” (Here the entire world is paper). MONU was featured among other journals as a proof that printed publications are not dead when it comes to independent magazines. […]
On Friday July 12, 2013 Bernd Upmeyer will lecture about the work of BOARD in Gdansk, Poland. He will furthermore take part in a debate that discusses the situation and future of the city of Gdansk. Both events are part of the OSSA2013 GDAŃSK workshop that is organized by the Gdańsk Academy of Fine Arts, […]
From July 1st – 7th the STAR – BOARD Project “Co-Residence” is exhibited at the CENTQUATRE in Paris (5 rue Curial, 75019 Paris/ daily open from 9:00 – 19:00/ free entrance). The project was realized by STAR and BOARD as part of of the Scientific Commitee of the AIGP – Atelier International du Grand Paris, […]
Bernd Upmeyer has been invited to be guest critic at the final reviews at the Academy of fine Arts Vienna on Tuesday the 25. June from 9:30-16:30 (R208). The reviewed “MArch Studio”, entitled “Collaborative Cities: Prototypes for the Sharing Economy”, is led by Stefan Gruber. Studio description: “Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can…” […]
On February 10, 2011 MONU Magazine organized a debate entitled “Most Valuable Urbanism Debate” that aimed to find out what distinguishes a bad Dutch city from a good Dutch city, and what role architects and urban designers play in the production of valuable urbanism. Excerpts of this debate were published in MONU #14. The debate […]
BOARD’s project “The Recycled Apartment” is featured in the publication “Architectural Process 2013” published by South Korean DAMDI Publishing. The Amsterdam-based Ideabooks describes it as: “A recent arrival in the DAMDI archive series, ‘PROCESS’ strives to create a more valuable design methodology in the fields of architecture, interior, urban, landscape and installation. Featuring more than […]
Video stills of the opening title sequence of the American television drama “The Sopranos”. ©HBO “Tony Soprano is emerging from the Lincoln Tunnel, entering the New Jersey Turnpike, one of the Greater New York Roads, and finally pulling into the driveway of his suburban home.” Are cities becoming “greater” these days? When two years ago, […]
On April 19, Le Moniteur published a special 7-page report documenting the proposals of the teams of the AIGP- Atelier International du Grand Paris on the theme ‘Habiter le Grand Paris’. On our proposal of Co-Residence it reads: (…) La Co-résidence, logement du futur? Vivre ensemble, mais séparément. Derrière ce paradoxe, une proposition, inspirée des […]
Music: Supertramp, Give A Little Bit, 1977 How should we live together? is the central question of this 18th issue of MONU on the topic of “Communal Urbanism”, focusing on contemporary communal living in cities. According to Martin Abbott‘s contribution “Learning to Live Together”, this is a question often discussed among the housemates of Berlin’s […]
On Friday, March 22, 2013 the fifteen multi-disciplinary teams of the Atelier International du Grand Paris (AIGP) presented their studies on the theme “Habiter le Grand Paris” at the Cité Internationale in Paris. Beatriz Ramo, leader of BOARD’s group, discussed the topic with Winy Maas and Dominique Perrault, among others. A public event showing the […]
©Photo: Yves Malenfer/Matignon On November 7, 2012 the French Prime Minister Monsieur Jean-Marc Ayrault met the representatives of the Atelier International du Grand Paris: Pierre Mansat, its president, Bertrand Lemoine, its director and the fifteen architects and urbanist from the Scientific Council – in the presence of Mme Cécile Duflot, ministre de l’Egalité des territoires […]
Since 2012 BOARD is part of the group, led by STAR, that has been chosen as one of the new six teams of architects and urban planners appointed by the Atelier International Grand Paris (AIGP) to be part of the Scientific Committee for the mission: Grand Paris: pour une métropole durable. On February 21, 2013 […]
BOARD’s prize winning competition entry for a playground in Leiden, Netherlands entitled “The Recycled Apartment” got published in #88 of the Dutch magazine “Architectuur Lokaal”. Read more about the “The Recycled Apartment” here.
MONU #17 explored how cities of the “Next Eleven” countries are already different and will be different in the future, from the cities of the “BRICs”, but also from the ones of the “MEDCs”– the more economically developed countries, such as the Netherlands – in terms of their politics, their economies, their geographies, their cultures, […]
Bernd Upmeyer will lecture about the concept and practice of MONU Magazine on Urbanism at the Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design in Moscow on January 30, 2013. He will furthermore participate in the discussion about architecture, urbanism and media at Strelka’s Urban Studies Session on the same day.
Bernd Upmeyer has been interviewed by the online magazine Indigits about his role as an independent magazine publisher: Indigits: What was the trajectory (catalyst) from magazine-lover to publisher? Bernd Upmeyer: In the 1990s I studied architecture and urban design at the University of Kassel in Germany, a school founded in the early 1970s and based […]
Photo of Office and Hotel Room: ©Sonia Arrepia BOARD/ STAR‘s recently completed interior design of an office/ hotel space in the centre of Rotterdam appears in the Archipendium Architecture Calendar 2013 . The calendar presents 365 days of modern architecture from around the world: USA, Europe, South America, Australia and Asia. Each page shows a […]
BOARD’s competition entry “Het hergebruikte appartement” (“The recycled apartment”) won the 2nd prize in the open competition for “Sustainable Krajicek Playgrounds” funded by former tennis star and Wimbledon winner Richard Krajicek. A full project description is published in Design.
Meal in a Political Commune (1968) © Bildarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Photo credit: Günter Zint One of the most fascinating things we at MONU recently experienced during a trip to Brasilia had nothing to do with its famous Oscar Niemeyer monuments or the city itself, but with the context surrounding the city. After two tiring days […]
BOARD’s competition entry “Het hergebruikte appartement” (“The recycled apartment”) has been nominated for a prize in the open competition for “Sustainable Krajicek Playgrounds” funded by former tennis star and Wimbledon winner Richard Krajicek. The prizes will be awarded on November 22, 2012 at 17:15 at the Schieblok in Rotterdam.
(browse the entire issue #17 on Youtube) Find out more about this issue on MONU’s website. Santa Fe-ing of the World by Joel Garreau; Emerging Geographies: From Environment to Terrorism – Interview with Saskia Sassen by Bernd Upmeyer; The Urbanism of Demographics: Next Eleven, BRIC 2.0? by Hajir Alttahir; Investment as Planning by Kai van […]
BOARD is part of the group, led by STAR, that has been choosen as one of the new six teams of architects and urban planners appointed by the Atelier International Grand Paris (AIGP) to be part of the Scientific Committee for the mission: Grand Paris: pour une métropole durable. The project is referred to be […]
Bernd Upmeyer has been interviewed by the Beijing-based magazine WAI on the topic of ideology. The results of the conversation have been published in their second issue. […] WAI: MONU is willing to explore the concept of urbanism from every possible angle, including the social, political, ideological and artistic spheres. However, something that is not […]
MONU Magazine has been invited to be exhibited in Singapore between 1st–12th August 2012. MONU will participate in the so-called “THE U CAFÉ exhibition”, to be held at the now defunct Tanjong Pagar Railway Station in Singapore. THE U CAFÉ launched in 2011 as an UNDERSCORE initiative to bring together independent cafés and magazines for […]
Bernd Upmeyer has been the tutor, together with Beatriz Ramo from STAR, of an international workshop organized by the Polish Architecture Association “SARP” in the city of Katowice from July 2 – 4, 2012. The workshop focused on “Ligota” a district of Katowice.
BOARD’s proposal for the Badel Block Competition in Zagreb, Croatia reached the so-called “Awards round” that chose the best 14 projects out of 242 entries. 6 projects were awarded. The jury reports: “This is the project with the most interesting interpretation of the Gorica facade. The project highly complies with the social sustainability criteria, because […]
MONU Magazine on Urbanism is currently being exhibited in New York (Storefront for Art and Architecture (Image 1), 17 April – 9 June 2012), Tokyo (Hillside Terrace Forum (Image 2), 3 May – 13 May 2012), and Berlin (do you read me?! (Image 3), 26 April – 26 May 2012). (The exhibitions in New York […]
Over the past ten years a lot has been researched, analyzed, written and said about cities in the largest developing countries and emerging economies such as Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Let us call it “BRIC Urbanism” as BRIC is the acronym that refers to these countries. Recently, however, things have changed and while time […]
As of today BOARD can be followed on facebook.
The Prague-based magazine “Oldschool” interviewed Bernd Upmeyer for their 3. issue. Oldschool is a group project of the three designers Hana Vanátková, Adam Uchytil, and Pavel Brejcha, who are working in the field of visual communication, graphic design and fashion. Oldschool: What does teamwork look like in your studio/publishing house? Bernd Upmeyer: At my studio […]
Curator Elias Redstone interviewed MONU’s editor-in-chief Bernd Upmeyer for the Archizines Exhibition at London’s Architectural Association. The answers were screened at the exhibition. Elias Redstone: What is the relationship between architecture and publishing? Bernd Upmeyer: To a certain extent, both architecture and publishing can be understood as processes of information production. Yet, neither architecture nor […]
Bernd Upmeyer has been interviewed by the Milan-based magazine “STUDIO”. STUDIO: Officially today we live in an urbanized world. More than 50% of humanity live in urban contexts. Is this the age of urbanity or the age of the crises complexity? Bernd Upmeyer: If you ask me like that I would rather say that it […]
The Bureau of Architecture, Research, and Design moved to new office spaces in Rotterdam. BOARD’s new address is: Kipstraat 7B, 3011 RR Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
This new MONU issue on the topic of Post-Ideological Urbanism probably touches on one of the most fascinating and biggest issues of our time and in our culture, or what is left of it: the non-ideological – or better post-ideological – conditions of our society when it comes to cities. Today, ideology appears to have […]
The newly founded New York-based architecture magazine CLOG is featuring a contribution by Bernd Upmeyer entitled “Any Press is Good Press”. Their first issue focused on Bjarke Ingels. “Dedicating an entire issue of a magazine to criticism of a single person-in this case the architect Bjarke Ingels – can be a tricky thing and ultimately […]
Bernd Upmeyer’s concept of the “Urban Editor” has been published in the 2011 edition of the Hiatus Book, a publication for opinions and reflections about design. The book is produced by the Valencia-based studio Sanserif. “In the near future, the interior architect might be best positioned to become the ultimate designer of space, replacing and […]
BOARD is working together with STAR on the redesign of the interior of an office space in the centre of Rotterdam. The space was previously occupied by a Diamond centre and is located in an office building where Hugh Maaskant had his architecture bureau in the 1950s. The construction started in August and is expected […]
Bernd Upmeyer contributed with an essay entitled “E80: On the Road to Binational Urbanism” to the publication “Nomadic Settlers – Settled Nomads” of a group exhibition with the same title that takes place in the Kunstraum Kreuzberg, Berlin from July 2nd to August 28. The exhibition is curated by Bonaventure S. B. Ndikung, Simone Kraft […]
MONU Magazine appears in an article by Francisco Gonzalez de Canales in the Milan-based architecture magazine Abitare as one of the rising independent magazines. “At a time when all talk is about the internet and digital information, you might think that paper-based publications are about to disappear…”
BOARD’s awarded design for the House of Arts and Culture in Beirut, Lebanon entitled “Free Space” is published in Future Arquitecturas’ China Edition #2. This proposal caught the attention of the jury with its playful and engaging imagery. It was easily imagined full of life and encouraging cultural engagement of all sectors of society with […]
Bernd Upmeyer is guest critic at Tilburg’s Academie voor Architectuur en Stedenbouw in the spring term 2011’s research course entitled “God Save Architecture” led by Beatriz Ramo. “God Save Architecture” aims to develop critical assessments of today’s most dangerous clichés, assumptions, and demagoguery in the field of architecture.
Despite the current urgency to deal with the enormous potential of the already existing urban material as Urban Editors, there seems still to be an enormous lack of interest in topics such as urban and architectural restoration, preservation, renovation, redevelopment, renewal or adaptive reuse of old structures among architects and urban designers. But ignorance in […]
From March 3 until March 5 BOARD’s “Atree?” project can be seen at Salon Ecobat in Paris. “Atree?” was one of 22 finalists of 336 submitted projects for the European Competition of Architecture, Design, Realisations in Eco and Agro-Materials.
“Atree?” has been published in issue #712 of the weekly cultural supplement “D” of the Italian daily newspaper la Repubblica. La Repubblica is the second largest Italian daily general-interest newspaper with a circulation of 556.325 copies.
MONU #10 and #11 has been featured as “cool & strange” in the issue #6 2010 of the Korean edition of ELLEgirl.
When John Lennon was photographed by the legendary rock ‘n’ roll photographer Bob Gruen, wearing a New York City T-shirt in the year 1974, he proudly expressed his love for the city of New York. For Lennon, although born in Liverpool, New York City was without doubt the most valuable city…continue reading at www.monu-magazine.com.
BOARD’s project “Paradise City” is currently exhibited at the Ludwig Forum in Aachen, Germany. Paradise City was one of BOARD’s first projects and has been created together with STAR – strategies + architecture . The exhibiton, entitled “West Arch – a new generation in architecture” , opened on September 12 and will run until November […]
MONU Magazine on Urbanism has been invited to be on display at the Baltimore Book Festival in Maryland, USA from September 24-26, 2010. The festival will take place in the historic and picturesque Mount Vernon Place. MONU will be part of an exhibition called “Creative Control”, a collection of zines, self-published and independent art books […]
MONU Magazine on Urbanism #12 on “Real Urbanism” is being exhibited at “la casa encendida” in Madrid, Spain. The exhibition entitled “de zines”, curated by Roberto Vidal and Oscar Martín, features independent publications (magazines, fanzines, artbooks and others). Around 400 international works are shown from June 29th, 2010 throughout all the summer.
Bernd Upmeyer is guest critic for the graduate studies at the Fontys Academy of Architecture and Urbanism in Tilburg, The Netherlands.
As one of 22 finalists of 336 submitted projects for the European Competition of Architecture, Design, Realisations in Eco and Agro-Materials, BOARD’s awarded entry entitled “ATREE?” has been exhibited in the Chantilly Castle in France. Imagine a project that does not need to be constructed, because – being a tree – it grows by itself. […]
BOARD’s ME(U)TROZONE study has been published in the 4th volume of the Internationale Bauausstellung (International Building Exhibition) entitled Metropolis: Metrozones. As transitional areas between different parts of a city, metrozones are without doubt closely related to the transit routes that link entire cities with one another… Find out more about this study in Research.
Bernd Upmeyer has been interviewed by the Portuguese Contemporary Architecture and Art Magazine arqa. arqa: Given your interest in radical urban research and your activity as editor of MONU magazine, how would you interpret the situation and the current relations between architecture and the global market? Bernd Upmeyer: In an increasingly interconnected world and ever- […]
Bernd Upmeyer will lecture about the work of BOARD and the study “E80” on binational urbanism in particular at the HafenCity University Hamburg on May 25, 19:00.
BOARD’s proposal has been selected out of 336 projects for the final phase of the European Competition of Architecture, Design, Realisations in Eco and Agro-Materials organized by Region Picardie and the Free State of Thueringen.
Bernd Upmeyer will start teaching as adjunct professor at the Urban Design Department at the HafenCity University Hamburg. In the coming summer semester he will conduct a seminar at the Department of Urban Design entitled “Most Valuable Cities”.
Just like the “Ideal Woman” on the cover of this issue on Real Urbanism – a sculpture by the Brooklyn based artist Tony Matelli – most of our cities are shaped by a particular set of values… find out more about this issue in Monu.
MONU magazine will be exhibited during the “Bookmark Nagoya” event in the city of Nagoya, Japan. The exhibition will take place from March 20th to April 20th 2010. More than 50 organizations will exhibit rare publications, vintage books, magazines, picture books from around the world. Various conferences with editors and writers take place, as well […]
MONU Magazine on Urbanism will be exhibited during the TOKYO DESIGN WEEK from October 30th to November 3rd 2009 inside the main venue of the 100% DESIGN TOKYO hall. The Magazine Library space will be in the center of the main venue.
Do we simply have to stop having sex to produce Clean Urbanism…? Find out more about this issue in Monu.
The “A Few Zines” show has been in New York and Boston, and is now coming to Los Angeles. The LA Forum hosts the insta-show for three days on Hollywood Blvd. The festivities kick off Friday, August 14 with a panel discussion and opening party.
BOARD’s competition entry “Free Space” for the International Architecture Competition for the House of Arts and Culture in Beirut, Lebanon has been selected out of more than 400 entries and won an honourable mention. The prize-winning design will be exhibited during the award-winning ceremony in April in Beirut.
BOARD’s proposal entitled “241” has been selected out of 466 entries in the Open International Ideas Competition Building for Bouwkunde for the second round and is being exhibited at the NAi exhibition Building for Bouwkunde from March 15, 2009 – June 7, 2009. The jury reports: “This entry is an intelligent and simple project, featuring […]
MONU Magazine on Urbanism has been selected from magazines around the world to be exhibited from March 5 to March 14, 2009 in a temporary magazine library in the Omotesando Hills building complex in Tokyo, Japan. MONU will be part of the MOOH event: “The Magazine of Omotesando Hills Library”.
BOARD’s proposal entitled “Public Section” wins a purchase prize in the International Design Competition for the New Building for the Estonian Academy of Art in Tallinn, Estonia.
BOARD has been suggested as one of the “Top Ten emerging offices under 40″ in the Netherlands by NIB (New Italian Blood) in collaboration with Hans Ibelings and the A10 Magazine.
BOARD’s proposal for the two-stage International Architectural Design Competition for the New Headquarters for the Wexford County Council in Ireland has been selected for the second stage and as one of the 6 finalists.
BOARD (Bureau of Architecture, Research, and Design) is founded by Bernd Upmeyer as an architecture firm that is based on multidisciplinarity and active in many fields: as an architecture and urban design practice, as a research board and as a platform for comparative analysis on urban issues through its bi-annual journal MONU – Magazine on […]