The International Design Seminar (INDESEM) has a long and fascinating history. Since the first edition in 1964, each INDESEM has brought students and professionals from all over the world together to explore relevant architectural issues of their time – in the form of excursions, competitions, and lectures. While INDESEM evolves and changes, depending on the people involved in its organization, each edition exposes current ideas and needs of the students: their views on architecture education, what they deem most relevant, and which designers inspire them. In return, INDESEM inspires educators and helps establish new ways of teaching in architecture.
INDESEM.25
01-06 june 2025
Sign Up ARCHIVE
ORIGIN OF INDESEM
In the early 1960s, Delft’s Faculty of Architecture faced dissatisfaction due to a rigid teaching system dominated by authoritarian professors. Frustrated students and progressive staff initiated changes, including a student-led magazine and the Autonome Architectuur exhibition, which introduced modern ideas but faced resistance from conservative faculty.

The idea for INDESEM emerged in 1964 when students, supported by Jaap Bakema, a progressive architect and Team X member, sought international collaboration in architectural education. Bakema proposed a “week of design,” and with 12 Stylos students, organized the first INDESEM. It brought over 60 students from Europe and five Team X architects to Delft, emphasizing collaborative learning and innovative approaches to design.

Held in the old V.O.C. building, the event focused on designing high-density housing for Amsterdam’s Kattenburg island, prioritizing public spaces and human needs. INDESEM introduced a new, student-led educational model, fostering equality between students and tutors while addressing real-world architectural challenges.

REVIVAL In the 70s INDESEM dissapears, but it´s revival happens in 1985 due to Herman Hertzberger. The architect and professor, organized the event as a farewell tribute to his retiring colleague Aldo van Eyck. With support from his students and leveraging his professional network, Hertzberger invited 60 international students and notable architects to Delft for a week-long design seminar.

Unlike earlier INDESEM editions, which featured strong involvement from Team X, this iteration was shaped entirely by Hertzberger. He selected the participants, curated the agenda, and asked van Eyck to craft the design brief. The chosen topic—a truck stop at an imaginary crossroads—focused on the relationship between human scale and architecture, echoing themes from the FORUM group, but contrasting with the real-world challenges of earlier editions.

The event maintained the original setup of group work and close tutor-student interaction, with one tutor per group and a total of six guest architects guiding the participants. International students stayed in Delft, hosted by local students in their homes, creating a collaborative and immersive atmosphere. The seminar also introduced new elements, including public lectures and formalized international participation, with an equal ratio of Dutch and international students. Financial support from the faculty, amounting to 20,000 guilders, helped ensure the event's success.

The 1985 INDESEM was a resounding success, drawing significant interest from students worldwide and setting the stage for future editions, with Geneva hosting the next seminar in 1986.
STUDENT INITIATIVE Following Herman Hertzberger's retirement in 1999, INDESEM transitioned into a fully student-led initiative, marking a new era of independence from its founding mentor. The 2000 edition, organized shortly after Hertzberger's departure and Aldo van Eyck's passing, was dedicated to honoring Hertzberger. He wrote the design brief, shifting the focus from traditional design challenges to analyzing the intentions and qualities of architecture, highlighting generational and ideological discussions. A key moment was a debate between Hertzberger and Rem Koolhaas, showcasing a dialogue between the FORUM architects, Koolhaas, and the emerging "Superdutch" generation.

With Hertzberger no longer involved, students took full responsibility for organizing future editions, supported by professors like Arie Graafland and Deborah Hauptmann, who acted as advisors rather than leaders. This student-driven approach enabled INDESEM to grow into a prominent event, attracting major figures in the architecture world. The 2003 edition, the first entirely independent of Hertzberger, demonstrated its established reputation, continuing to foster innovation and collaboration in the architectural field.
INDESEM has been around for many years, with each year another contemporary subject. For each edition, selected information is shown: title, keywords, location of the seminar, site of the design competition, design topic, board members, speakers, tutors, mentors and interesting facts.


for questions: info@indesem.nl