During AAW 2025, SECONDroom organizes “An Ideal for Living”, a participatory project in a scaled model landscape, with the support of Modeltreinenclub. Through an open call, people are invited to contribute to an exhibition with model trains, of which the result is an imaginative environment consisting of artworks.

Reducing the complexity of reality to a diorama could be seen as a method to get a grip on the overwhelming nature of reality itself. In this utopian construction, we wish to reflect on how we perceive and interpret the world around us. “An ideal for living” refers to the idea that architecture and design can create a better environment. They do this by offering a living framework that is more efficient, rational and beautiful. Modernism, functionalism and minimalism all strove for an ideal society through design. The title of this project, however, is derived from the controversial 1978 debut EP by the band Joy Division.

The first edition of “An Ideal for Living” took place during Antwerp Art Weekend 2023 and was a success, with renowned and lesser-known artists participating and the diorama growing throughout the weekend. The project bridges daily life, urban thinking, leisure, and contemporary art.