AMSTERDAM, WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao historian and cultural heritage expert Rose Mary Allen has been selected as part of one of the international design teams advancing to the next stage of the architectural competition for the future National Slavery Museum in Amsterdam.
The museum, which is planned for Java Island in Amsterdam, will focus on the history of Dutch involvement in slavery and the lasting impact of that history on contemporary society.
Prof. Dr. Allen (m)
Allen is participating as a member of the design team Our Voices, which also includes Curaçaoan artist Lyongo Juliana. The team is among ten international groups chosen from a large pool of applicants following a global call for proposals.
The City of Amsterdam said the competition attracted significant interest from both Dutch and international architects, designers, historians, and cultural experts. An independent jury chaired by Dutch Government Architect Francesco Veenstra selected the ten teams that will now develop their concepts in greater detail.
According to organizers, the selection process evaluated not only architectural quality but also the ability of the teams to address the complex history of slavery and its continuing relevance for current and future generations.
The inclusion of experts from the Caribbean and Suriname was considered an important element in the evaluation process, reflecting the museum’s ambition to incorporate multiple perspectives and lived experiences connected to the history of slavery.
Allen, who has spent decades researching and documenting the cultural history of Curaçao and the wider Caribbean, is widely recognized for her work on slavery, identity, oral history, and heritage preservation.
The next phase of the competition will see the ten selected teams further develop their proposals before the jury narrows the field to five finalists.