The construction sector is responsible for 39 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, posing an enormous challenge in combatting the climate crisis. With the Carbon Confessions exhibition at the Keilepand in Rotterdam, MVRDV offers a candid insight into the complex reality of sustainable building. The exhibition showcases both the successes and struggles of the Rotterdam-based architecture firm in reducing their projects’ carbon emissions, inviting visitors to take a look behind the scenes of the transition to sustainable construction.

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Carbon Confessions is a travelling exhibition that, after visiting Munich, Berlin, Paris, and Taipei, is now arriving in Rotterdam – MVRDV’s home base. The venue is the Keilepand, a former fruit and vegetable warehouse in Nieuw-Mathenesse, which has been transformed into a multi-tenant building for creative businesses working towards a sustainable future. The exhibition occupies a section of one of the building’s former factory halls, taking visitors on a journey through more than 30 years of MVRDV's sustainable ambitions – covering the ideas, ideals, everyday actions, but also the missteps and missed opportunities.

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In the Rotterdam edition, the story is told through more than 120 panels that hang from a winding rail. It begins with MVRDV’s carbon storyline, starting with the office’s early advocacy for a sustainable living environment through green densification and improved mobility. This storyline also covers internal decisions such as the establishment of The Green Dream Foundation, created to offset the carbon emissions arising from project-related travel, and the decision to serve vegetarian lunches at the office. A recurring “character” in the story is MVRDV NEXT, a team of in-house specialists in technology and sustainability, which MVRDV established after years of overreliance on external sustainability consultants with inscrutable working methods.

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After the carbon storyline, visitors can learn more about MVRDV’s transformation projects. After all, renovating an existing building rather than demolishing and rebuilding is one of the most effective ways to reduce carbon emissions. This is followed by 23 anecdotes about MVRDV’s attempts to achieve carbon reductions, ranging from examples of perverse incentives from engineers and consultants that hinder sustainable choices, to a German builder who became unexpectedly enthusiastic about rammed earth walls. These anecdotes are supplemented by 22 “carbon cases”, in which the embodied carbon emissions of MVRDV projects are calculated using CarbonSpace – an online tool that MVRDV has made freely available to the public, allowing everyone to calculate the carbo dioxide emissions of their building designs from the very first sketch.

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In the exhibition space, tables display a selection of low-carbon materials, many of which were specifically created for MVRDV projects. Visitors will also find a selection of models of completed transformation projects and a video projection covering various topics within the realm of sustainability. The design of the Carbon Confessions exhibition itself also follows the message of the exhibition; carbon emissions were deduced as far as possible by reusing materials from previous editions. For example, the railing and panels were recycled from the exhibitions in Munich and Berlin, while the furniture is on loan from the Keilepand, avoiding the purchase of new furniture.

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“We’re thrilled that Carbon Confessions has now landed in our hometown of Rotterdam to show people the honest reality of sustainable building”, says Jacob van Rijs, the curator of the exhibition and the “VR” in MVRDV. “It presents many ideas outlining how we can and should design more sustainably, such as the crucial importance of transformations instead of demolition whenever possible.”

Chantal Zeegers (Rotterdam Alderman of Climate, Building, Housing), Jacob van Rijs (MVRDV Founding Partner | curator), Sanne van der Burgh (Head of MVRDV NEXT/Climate | curator) ©MVRDV

“Carbon Confessions shows how sustainability requires us to choose the right materials, and how we can enable those materials to evolve just as nature does”, says Winy Maas, the “M” in MVRDV. “Rather than sticking with what we know, we need to create designs that adapt, regenerate, and contribute to the ecological cycle. The future of sustainable architecture is a dynamic system that constantly renews itself.”

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“With this exhibition, we hope to encourage designers to consider the carbon impact of their projects from the outset,” says Nathalie de Vries, the “DV” in MVRDV. “It's crucial that we don't wait for perfect data; rather we must take immediate action with the resources we have now. CarbonSpace plays a key role in this by helping designers make conscious choices from the very first sketch, thereby truly contributing to lower carbon emissions.”

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Carbon Confessions in Rotterdam is on show from January 31st to March 12th at the Keilepand (Keilestraat 9f, 3029 BP Rotterdam). Opening hours are Wednesday to Friday from 12:00 to 17:00 and Saturday from 12:00 to 15:00. The exhibition's opening was celebrated on January 30th in the presence of Chantal Zeegers, Rotterdam's Alderman for Climate, Building, and Housing. Various activities will be organised throughout the exhibition, including lectures by Jacob van Rijs and Sanne van der Burgh (curator and head of MVRDV NEXT). More information will be made available on the MVRDV website in due course. After previous showings in Munich, Berlin, Paris, and Taipei, Carbon Confessions will continue its global tour after this edition in Rotterdam.