Rem Koolhaas and Eurolab Call for Creative Ideas on How to Re-Brand the EU

April 9, 2018 Niall Patrick Walsh Architecture, Architecture Article, Architecture News, Home design ideas, Interior Design 0


AMO's 2001 redesign of the EU flag takes colors from the banners of all member states. Image © OMA

AMO's 2001 redesign of the EU flag takes colors from the banners of all member states. Image © OMA

OMA founder Rem Koolhaas has joined his colleague Stephan Petermann and artist Wolfgang Tillmans in calling for ideas on re-branding the European Union, at a time when the EU is experiencing increased pressure from the rising tide of far-right nationalism. Working with a group of artists, creatives, and communications experts from across Europe, the “Eurolab” team will present the outcomes of their initiative at the Forum on European Culture on June 3rd, 2018.

Eurolab argues that, although the EU is a project aimed at peace, cooperation, and solidarity, it has failed to present itself as a progressive, positive organization to European citizens. As support for nationalism and the far-right grows across Europe, Eurolab will embark on a 4-day fact-finding mission to investigate why the voices of European unity are been drowned out by the voices of European division. Going beyond the identification of issues surrounding disdain for the EU, Eurolab seeks to help re-brand the organization, asking “how can cooperation and solidarity be communicated to a large audience in a fresh and compelling way?”


AMO's "The Image of Europe" exhibition, which began in 2004. Image © OMA

AMO's "The Image of Europe" exhibition, which began in 2004. Image © OMA

As part of this mission, Eurolab is calling for creative ideas on how to re-brand the EU, be it through design, photos, poems, words, or short film scripts. The call for ideas for the Eurolab presentation will end on April 18th.

We understand that the EU is not perfect and that some of its problems are of its own making. However, we are convinced that today’s Europe is the best there ever was and that the European Project should be protected in these unstable times.
– Wolfgang Tillmans, Rem Koolhaas & Stephan Petermannm, initiators, Eurolab

The outcomes of the research will be presented at the Eurolab presentation on June 3rd, 2018 at De Balie, Amsterdam. The presentation will form part of the Forum on European Culture, a biennial which explores the impact of art and culture in Europe, taking place in the Dutch capital between May 31st and June 3rd.

Further details on the Eurolab initiative, including information and directions for submitting ideas, can be found via the official website here.

Information via: The Forum on European Culture