New platforms

A10 has entered into collaboration with NaiM/Bureau Europa in Maastricht (NL), a new cultural institution that began life in 2006 as a branch of the Netherlands Architecture Institute in Rotterdam and recently became wholly independent. Bureau Europa and A10 will join forces to organize a variety of activities, the first of which is an exhibition that will open on 12 September: 'Rien ne va plus', a project developed by the French-Danish-Dutch Powerhouse Company, explores the links between the current economic crisis and the baby boom generation. At the same time, Maastricht will host the first presentation of the ongoing Reading Europe project, a guide to the many ways in which Europe is depicted, visualized, subdivided and mapped in the world of architecture, urban design and landscape architecture.

September 2009 will also see the official launch of the A10 website. Just as we were not exactly quick to realize that a new Europe in architecture was emerging at the end of the previous century – the first issue of A10 appeared 15 years after the fall of the Wall – so we are no early adopters of digital media. Apart from a deep-rooted attachment to the printed page, this was mainly due to the fact that we have given priority in recent years to establishing the magazine, which now has a solid presence in many places in Europe. But not in all places, it must be said. Which is one of the reasons for launching the website – as a means of reaching further than the magazine now reaches.

Another important reason for starting an Internet magazine parallel to the paper publication is in order to be able to compensate for the fact that the magazine, with a publication frequency of only six times a year, inevitably misses out on a lot of what is happening in European architecture. Many activities and events occur between two issues and for those the website is an ideal and speedy platform.

The website will categorically not be a duplication of the paper version, nor will the latter be a resumé of what has appeared on the website in the intervening period. And just as we have always encouraged our magazine correspondents to follow their own course, we will continue to do the same in our digital magazine. Whether on the Internet or on the newsstand, our aim is to present real news, and not just a rehash of what has already appeared in other media.