Publisher Simon Franke (director Trancity) and journalist Michiel van Raaij (editor in chief Architectenweb) were our guests in September at Huson restaurant. All the men at the table are worried about the future of architectural criticism in the Netherlands. With the experienced bibliomaniac and experienced editor of an internet platform we had an interesting conversation about the future of vakjournalistiek. The future can not be called rosy.

The rise of the Dutch architecture in the late eighties is accompanied by the publication of professional literature. Together they have rise the architectural climate in our country to great heights. We may wonder whether the Dutch architecture is on the decline, but certainty we can say that the Dutch professional literature is fading away.

Perhaps this is not surprising when we consider that the earning of books is never based on the sales of books. Although architects are very good book buyers in the past was receiving grants from various funds necessary to produce professional publications. The crises make the selling less and the grant money limited. A transition to a new business model seems almost impossible with existing organizations.

Architecenweb is an exponent of the current time. With the daily flow of messages they have prominently nestled in Dutch architecture world. They have never applied for a grant for their core business. But with only members and the sale of banners is hard to keep the head above water.
Simon and Michiel tell that their core competencies needed to earn money on a different way. Books and news supply is not a money-maker. They can earn monet by organizing activities around a book or on a specific theme. Sponsors, now called partners, like this. But how long is this going to work? And how do you monitor independence?

The evening ends with many unanswered questions. A good architecture climate is still with serious independent journalism? Are we able to organize this?

Daan Bakker (Daf-architecten), Jeroen de Willigen (DeZwarteHond), Jasper de Haan (architect) and I invite each month a number of colleagues to eat, drink and discuss about our profession, the city of Rotterdam and related matters.