On April 9 2010 writer and designer Ronald Hooft opened the exhibition 'StreetParade' in the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture. This exhibition shows the work of students who alterated the design of urban streets in six different cities in Europe. The exhibition is free and open daily through May 7, 2010. Below is the speech delivered by Ronald Hooft.

"Although I usually decline invitations for events such as this one - I think it is save to say – that this is my debut as an opening speaker. I was however seduced to accept this time for a number of reasons – first and foremost there was the obscene fee I was offered, something which for obvious reasons, I could not refuse. Then there was vanity: I was being told that the weekly column that I write in the Living Section of a local newspaper here in Amsterdam was always cut out and posted on the bulletin board in the cafeteria of this building. Another consideration was the opportunity I would have to once again strongly advocate the development of a fourth department at this highly respected institution: besides Urban Planning, Landscape and architectural design, a serious and mature course in Interior architecture would, in my not so humble opinion, make this academy the unavoidable choice for aspiring architects.

The last reason was plain curiosity. Not only as a designer or a columnist, but more so as an inhabitant of a city, a consumer of urban space. Recently it has been made known that, for the first time in human history, more people actually live in urban conglomerates than in the country. And because of the enormous magnitude of this development and the obvious lack of space it generates, a lot of these newly arriving inhabitants of these cities initially will be forced to live on the streets, rather than in a street. This is where architects come in. A famous Polish philosopher once said: 'There are no problems, only solutions.’ Actually, I think it was a Polish plumber who said that, but he was right never the less: I personally find it comforting that in a period in which, due to global economic developments unprecedented and disastrous declines in volume and turnover in the architecture world are being published – 66 percent decline in assignments, 50 percent drop back in jobs – there are still plenty of young, talented and eager people who choose an education and as a consequence thereof, a career in architecture. In a way this makes sense. Crisis equals opportunity, and where we have plenty of crises – be it moneywise, climatewise or any otherwise – opportunities are what we are in dire need of, no matter how long it takes. The other day, the renowned architect Wiel Arets, stated – in his acceptance speech for winning the Amsterdam New Building of the Year award – that the period of development for his design for a high rise residential building in the southeast part of this city now went into its ninth year!

Who knows were we are in nine years from now, we could be facing a whole new situation. Looking at the projects shown on the premises of this school, it would be my prediction that most of today's students, by that time are somewhere in a city; most probably they will find themselves in a street. And hopefully they will be building something on that street, something which was possibly rooted in one of the optimistic visions presented here today.
We have all seen the tempting stalls with street food down the hall; so thanking you for your kind attention, I will no longer keep you from hitting them. Enjoy."

April 9, 2010