The Pigeon Dialogues is a project by Nikki Gonnissen, co-founder and director of the studio in collaboration with Studio Corvers. For the installation, she addresses the strong separation between city and countryside, aiming to build a bridge that brings together the many different perspectives. Inspired by pigeon post and the historic pigeon lofts you still occasionally come across in the countryside, the design creates a safe space to exchange ideas and facilitate discussion. 

Pigeon post is a slow, but targeted, medium. Pigeons can return to their homes over a distance of hundreds of kilometres with impeccable precision, bringing only one message at a time. The current social polarisation is partly fuelled by the speed of social media, where context is lacking and information not consciously considered. As a result, people talk past each other, and there is no room for dialogue. Only if we choose to take longer and actively think and listen to each other, can we arrive at a meaningful conversation. What is really needed to achieve a sustainable future for future generations?

The design of the installation is based on the construction of the pigeon loft in the village of Echten, in which the wood joints have been carefully studied and reinterpreted. From the loft's 48 holes, where pigeons fly in and out, come as many messages for the future. These messages were gathered from conversations with a diverse group of Wolden people, including intensive animal farmers, biodynamic farmers, nature and landscape preservationists, landowners, administrators and even the last pigeon fancier in Drenthe. 

Inside the pigeon loft are portraits of the farmers and Woldenaars with whom Nikki engaged in conversation with, captured by photographer Maurice Boyer. 

Visitors are invited to leave their own message for the future by writing it on colourful ribbons and tying it to the installation. The Pigeon Dialogues thus becomes a temple where many opinions come together.

Wiede Wold Festival

The Pigeon Dialogues was part of Wiede Wold Festival, which can be visited until the end of June 2024. Under the theme 'the future of the countryside', designers Arne Hendriks, Antoine Peters, Foodcurators, Liselore Frowijn, Nienke Hoogvliet & Tim Jongerius, Nikki Gonnissen & Studio Corvers, and Vera Vos & Julia Roozenbeek explore what the future of rural Netherlands looks like. The design programme is curated by Jorn Konijn and Lisa Hardon.

A round table discussion with farmers, designers, policymakers and nature organisations took place on 11 May. This is how we started the conversation about the future of the Netherlands with different voices.