School's Out! #16 Maaskant Award Ceremony for Michelle Provoost

On Friday 26 March 2021, our own Michelle Provoost was awarded the prestigious biannual Rotterdam Maaskant Award by Ahmed Aboutaleb, chairman of the board of the Rotterdam Maaskant Foundation and mayor of Rotterdam. The jury commends Michelle for combining reflection with action and for engaging others with the fate of the city through her own, original vision. The honor of the award is bestowed upon her for her "profound research of the global city and into all those social issues that are rooted in the built environment.”

Michelle’s speech, the award ceremony, and the documentary about Michelle by Gabriëlle Provaas and Rob Schröder can be watched separately below.

DOCUMENTARY ABOUT MICHELLE PROVOOST BY GABRIËLLE PROVAAS AND ROB SCHRÖDER

The documentary of approximately 20 minutes follows Michelle Provoost in various settings. From the lecture hall of the Independent School for the City, she talks about her love for Hugh Maaskant, and how the building in which the school resides - also a Maaskant - can be preserved. Provoost also takes the viewer to the satellite city of Hoogvliet, where she worked with Crimson on Wimby! - a unique urban transformation project full of experimentation in architecture, urban planning, culture and education.

AWARD CEREMONY

The festive award ceremony of the Rotterdam Maaskant Prize 2020 was opened by Monique van Bull, secretary of the Rotterdam Maaskant Foundation, followed by a introduction by Achmed Aboutaleb - chairman of the board and mayor of Rotterdam. The nomination of Michelle Provoost was then explained by Caro van de Venne, chairman of the independent jury and founder and Partner of Barcode Architects. Eventually Esther Agricola, vice-chairman of the board handed the Maaskant Prize 2020 to Michelle Provoost.