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The architect as a marketing tool is the central theme of 'Ads & Architects', the exhibition that will be on display from March 8 until May 15 in Gallery 3. In recent years, architects have featured more and more prominently in advertising. Ads & Architects shows these developments, using enticing examples from glossy magazines and TV commercials, while at the same time presenting the opinions of experts in the profession about this phenomenon.

The exhibition will show examples of advertisements and commercials featuring architects. The types cast ranges from the architect as an unworldly artist to the architect as a "neo-huomo universalis". There is a type for each sector of the market. Architects are generally presented as men dressed in black, wearing glasses and a bowtie. They are apparently innovative and creative mediators, who can be relied on to match functionality with taste. Naturally, they often sport several rolls of paper or a hold models under their arms. Driving around in their Volvos or Saabs, they are both mobile and highly dynamic.

Norman Foster sells Rolex
Not only advertisers make use of this image of architects; architects themselves actively help to enhance their image. The numerous examples of advertisements and commercials in which famous architects make an appearance will also be shown in Ads & Architects. Strikingly, most advertise luxury goods, calling on the awareness of the consuming cultural elite; the face and/or the name behind the building has to be familiar in order to appeal to the target audience. Consequently, the big names, in particular, position themselves in this manner. Norman Foster sells Rolex, Zaha Hadid and Frank Gehry sell Vitra furniture, Massimiliano Fuksas sells Mont Blanc pens, and OMA has connections with Prada.

This exhibition was realized with the kind assistance of Arconiko Architects, in collaboration with Gerd Streng.

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