De Singel
We The Bacteria
Curated by Beatriz Colomina & Mark Wigley
29/09/2026 – 31/01/2027
Architecture has contributed both to the destruction and survival of bacteria. Increasingly, modern ailments like obesity, diabetes, allergies, and depression are linked to a decline in microbial diversity. According to curators Beatriz Colomina and Mark Wigley, these are ‘diseases of the built environment’ – inseparably tied to the health of the planet and the biosphere.
The exhibition invites us to view humans differently: not as individuals, but as mobile ecosystems coexisting with bacteria.
We The Bacteria was previously showcased at the Triennale Milano, where it became a groundbreaking exhibition. Now it holds up a mirror here too. Meet your own microbes and trace their journey – from deep within the earth to outer space, from billions of years ago to today. Discover how scientists and architects together explore an alternative history of architecture, told from the perspective of bacteria.
