English
Bergplaats turns architecture, spatial planning and culture into exhibitions, texts, publications, discussions and concepts.
Bergplaats offers project management, project assistance, consultancy, research, copywriting, editing, lecturing or chairing.
Bergplaats accomodates JaapJan Berg.
JaapJan Berg (1965) is a freelance curator, organiser and journalist in the field of architecture and spatial planning.
He publishes regularly in various (international) professional periodicals such as Bauwelt, Smaak (Government Buildings Department), Stadscahiers and Stedenbouw & Ruimtelijke Ordening (Nirov) and writes project texts for various clients, including Claus en Kaan Architecten. He is also regular correspondent for www.archined.nl and has been a member of the editorial board of the Architectuur in Nederland Jaarboek since 2008 (see: www.naipublishers.nl). He works a project manager an researcher for the International New Town Institute (INTI).
Berg also regularly acts as chair of debates and discussions on architecture and spatial planning. He is also active as an organiser and project manager of events and projects in the field of culture, architecture and spatial planning. In this area he recently carried out (research) assignments for the Chief Government Architect Atelier, the Royal Institute of Dutch Architects (BNA), Almere Local Authorities, the International New Town Institute (INTI), and the Rotterdam-Maaskant Foundation.
Berg is also a member of the Architecture Committee of the Architecture Promotion Fund and teaches writing and textual analysis at the Architecture Academy Amsterdam.
Berg was senior coordinator of CASLa, the architecture centre of the new town Almere, where he initiated many debates, events and publications, including the Almere Architecture Prize, Young Heritage Day, and the series and publication ‘De Peetvaders van Almere. Interviews met bestuurders en ontwerpers’ [The godfathers of Almere. Interviews with administrators and designers] (2001).
After that Berg worked as a curator for the Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAI). Among his activities in that capacity were the exhibitions ‘Latent Space’ in cooperation with Henry Urbach (2002), ‘Gio Ponti. A World of Design’ (2003), and ‘Collage Europe. The architecture and urban planning of Central and Eastern Europe’ (2004). Berg was also project manager and curator of the permanent exhibition in the NAI entitled ‘Living in the Lowlands. The domestic scene in the NAI collection (2004-2009)’ as well as compiling the exhibition catalogue of the same title.
In 2007 NAI Publishers issued the publication ‘Adolescent Almere. Hoe een stad wordt gemaakt’ [Adolescent Almere. How a town is made], edited by JaapJan Berg, Simon Franke and Arnold Reijndorp.
In 2006-2007 Berg and Joost Zonneveld (research and exhibition) curated the event ‘Transformatorhuizen. Stedelijke vernieuwingen in de Indische Buurt’ [Houses in Transformation. Urban renewal in the Indische Buurt of Amsterdam] for 66 East, centre for Urban Culture, with contributions by De Architekten Cie., Dennis Kaspori/Jeanne van Heeswijk, Bik van der Pol, Wim Cuyvers, Matthijs de Bruijne and others. In 2009 NAI Publishers issued the related publication ‘Houses in Transformation; Interventions in European Gentrification’.
In 2008 JaapJan Berg was project manager of the first team of AtelierOverijssel, werkplaats voor ruimtelijke kwaliteit. Under the supervision of Jandirk Hoekstra (H+N+S Landschapsarchitecten) he organised publications and lectures there, as well as the exhibition ‘Rafels, Randen en Routes. Over de herkenbaarheid en kracht van Overijsselse dorpsgezichten’ [Loose ends, margins and routes. On the identity and vitality of village views in Overijssel] with contributions by Artgineering, Bosch Slabbers, Ton Matton, Hans van der Meer, Observatorium and others.
From 2008- 2009 he was also part-time adviser on art, culture and the public domain for the Art & Culture Overijssel Foundation.
JaapJan Berg studied Art History at the University of Amsterdam.