THE CHIEF GOVERNMENT ARCHITECT - the Power of Imagination - Documentary by André de Laat

THE CHIEF GOVERNMENT ARCHITECT - the Power of Imagination A Documentary by André de Laat The task of the Chief Government Architect of the Netherlands is to promote the architectural quality of government buildings and to advise the government on thorny issues related to spatial planning and our living environment. The challenge of this role is to be both a creative thinker and an initiator of feasible plans. From 2015 to 2021, this position was held by architect and urban planner Floris Alkemade. The camera follows him on his mission to address the rapid changes in our urban and rural environments by developing creative solutions. In this view, urgent societal issues must receive more attention: “We will get stuck if we continue this way. The land suffers from pollution. Soils are increasingly depleted. The climate is changing. We must change course.” Independent filmmaker André de Laat followed Floris Alkemade behind the scenes for three years. What does the Chief Government Architect do? Who is the person temporarily holding this unique position? What does he want to achieve? The documentary shows how Floris Alkemade organizes competitions for the renewal of city districts and the countryside, and how he takes a stand during the turmoil surrounding the renovation of the Binnenhof and the construction of the Holocaust Names Memorial in Amsterdam. We join him in the attics, basements, and construction pits of the government buildings for which he is responsible. And he himself invites us to the attic of his own home, where the power of imagination is given free rein. This has resulted in a highly personal portrait and an inspiring film mosaic of ideas, arguments, opinions, and designs. Floris Alkemade received the Grote Maaskant Prize on November 11, 2022. According to the jury, Chief Government Architect Floris Alkemade put spatial planning and design back on the national agenda and succeeded in engaging a large audience in the debate regarding the layout of the Netherlands. Running time: 61 minutes. The independent documentary 'The Chief Government Architect - the power of imagination' is a co-production of AdeL Producties and Multi Media Impuls. The film was made with support from the Creative Industries Fund NL and the BPD Culture Fund. © 2020 AdeL Producties, Amsterdam contact: Adelproducties.nl