.jpg?1550072614 "© MVRDV / The Why Factory")
© MVRDV / The Why Factory
In 2020, the French city of Marseille is set to host Manifesta 13, the European Biennial of Contemporary Art. In preparation for the event, The Why Factory (directed by MVRDV co-founder Winy Maas) has unveiled “The Grand Puzzle,” a 1200-page interdisciplinary pre-biennial research study of the urban potential for Marseille.
The Why Factory, founded as “the think tank on the future city” at Technical University Delft, has produced the study through deep analyses of the city, such as interviews and spatial data, culminating in suggestions for possible urban interventions. Having received overwhelmingly positive feedback, the study will now be “contextualized, analyzed, and refined as it becomes a tool for Marseillais to imagine possible futures for their city.” In addition, the study will serve as a point of inspiration for artistic and cultural interventions both before and during the Manifesta biennial.