CULTURE
Vitra Design Museum puts up the first retrospective of the Dutch architectural photographer’s oeuvre, highlighting how architecture shapes – and is shaped by – the people and communities that surround it.
By Amit Khanna
28 Jan 2024
National Museum of Qatar, Doha, Qatar, 2019; Architecture: Ateliers Jean Nouvel | Image by Iwan Baan / VG Bild-Kunst Bonn, 2023; Courtesy of Vitra Design Museum
The photograph has taken somewhat of a back seat in recent decades as the principal mode of communication between architecture and the consumer. Short form video has swept through social media and the era of the static image defining a complete building seems to be behind us. A captivating exhibition in Weil am Rhein, Germany, however, serves as a testament to the transformative power of architectural photography.
Iwan Baan: Moments in Architecture at the Vitra Design Museum presents the first major retrospective of the celebrated Dutch architectural photographer’s wide and diverse oeuvre, offering a unique perspective on the built environment and challenging visitors to see architecture not as static structures but as living entities that shape our experiences and our world. The exhibition, which opened in October 2023 and will be on display until March this year, features about 1000 of Baan’s photographs – and some film footage – captured over the course of the last two decades.
Iwan Baan | Image by Mark Niedermann; Courtesy of Vitra Design Museum
Along with Julius Schulman, Helene Binet and Andre Fanthome, Baan is one of the great chroniclers of his era. The exhibition presents his incredible breadth of work – Baan initially submitted over 14,000 images to the museum’s curator Mea Hoffmann – by breaking it into four sections. The first section covers his early work in China as the country witnessed a real estate boom in the run up to the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
National Stadium, Beijing, China, 2008; Architecture: Herzog & de Meuron | Image by Iwan Baan; Courtesy of Vitra Design Museum
The second section features his work documenting building projects for some of the world’s foremost architects, including Zaha Hadid, Herzog & de Meuron, Kazuyo Sejima, and Tatiana Bilbao. From aerial views and panorama shots to detailed close-ups, the images showcase Baan's exceptional skill in framing shots. He uses light and shadow to add depth and drama, creating compelling visual narratives. This dimension of his work lends a sense of time and place to the photograph, making the architecture more relatable to the viewer.
Teshima Art Museum, Tonosho, Japan, 2010; Architecture: Ryue Nishizawa | Image by Iwan Baan; Courtesy of Vitra Design Museum
One of the defining characteristics of Baan's work is his ability to capture the essence of architecture. His photographs go beyond mere documentation; they narrate stories. The last two sections of the exhibition demonstrate this quality, covering Baan’s uncommissioned work from travels across the globe – from booming megacities as they navigate challenges of urbanization to informal settlements and traditional buildings.
Biete Ghiorgis, Rock-Hewn church, Lalibela, Ethiopia, 2012 | Image by Iwan Baan; Courtesy of Vitra Design Museum
His images very often feature people, a departure from many of his contemporaries in architectural photography and an aspect that is on prominent display at this exhibition. This breathes life into the structures and places he photographs, allowing viewers to connect more deeply and personally with his imagery.
“I am not so interested in the timeless architectural image as much as the specific moment in time,” states Baan. “What's important is the story, which is very intuitive and fluid...all the unexpected, unplanned moments in and around the space, how people interact with that space, and the stories that are unfolding there.”
National Taichung Theatre, Taiwan, 2016; Architecture: Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects | Image by Iwan Baan; Courtesy of Vitra Design Museum
Iwan Baan: Moments in Architecture is on display at the Vitra Design Museum through March 3, 2024, after which it will travel to other venues globally. The exhibition is also accompanied by an extensive catalog with close to 600 photographs covering two decades of Iwan Baan’s work.
