Urban Tetris

As part of the 100th anniversary of the Dutch Housing Act, the City of Amsterdam — in collaboration with housing corporations, project developers, and institutional investors — initiated the exhibition Urban Tetris – Wij wonen in de toekomst (“We Live in the Future”). Maurer United Architects developed the concept for this mobile outdoor exhibition, which focused on the future of urban living.

On 18 May 2001, the Urban Tetris invasion began: 25 walking display boxes appeared throughout the city — architectural elements inspired by the classic video game Tetris. Each box functioned as a miniature exhibition in which artists shared their vision of future living. The installation highlighted pressing issues such as housing shortages, urbanization, and livability in an accessible and engaging way.

For four days, the elements traveled through the city, ultimately coming together at the Spaarndammerplantsoen in the Westerpark district. On 23 May, the display boxes were assembled into a monumental sculpture in front of the building ’t Schip, where the official opening took place.

Mothership acted as curator and handled production and project management. Through their involvement, Urban Tetris became a dynamic public experience in which art and architecture playfully sparked debate about urban living.