Mecanoo Architecten 
Total Projects from Mecanoo Architecten: 12
Mecanoo, officially founded in Delft in 1984, is made up of a highly multidisciplinary staff of over 90 creative professionals from 16 nationalities and includes architects, interior designers, urban planners, landscape architects and architectural technicians. The company is directed by its original founding architect, Prof. ir. Francine M.J. Houben and technical director Aart Fransen and are joined by partners Francesco Veenstra and Ellen van der Wal. The extensive experience gained over more than 25 years, together with structured planning processes results in designs that are realized with technical expertise and great attention to detail.
Francine M. J. Houben
founding partner/creative director
Francine Houben (1955), born in Sittard, the Netherlands, is founding partner and creative director of Mecanoo architecten. She graduated as an architect with cum laude honours from the Technical University Delft in 1984. Mecanoo has been in practice for more than 25 years in Delft, The Netherlands. Francine Houben is one of Europe’s most active architects having realized numerous works, publications and exhibitions. She lectures all over the world and takes part as a jury member in many prestigious competitions. Her award winning projects illustrate the three fundamental elements of her architectural vision: Composition, Contrast and Complexity. The oeuvre of Francine Houben is extremely wide-ranging, encompassing: houses, schools and complete residential areas, theatres, libraries and skyscrapers, parks, squares and highways, cities, polders and ‘Randstad’, hotels, museums and even a chapel. Francine Houben has won numerous design awards, including the Maaskant Prize for Young Architects, the Jhr. Victor de Stuerspenning Prize, the Best School Building Prize, the National Steel Construction Prize, the A.M. Schreuders Prize, the Dutch Building Prize, the Cityscape Architectural Award and the Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Award. In 2000 she was instated as professor in Architecture and Aesthetics of Mobility at the University of Technology in Delft, The Netherlands. She was professor at the Universitá della Svizzera Italiana, Accademia di architettura, in Mendrisio in Switzerland in 2000-2001. In 2001 she received an honorary fellowship of the Royal Institute of British Architects in London and published her manifesto on architecture the book Composition, Contrast, Complexity. Francine Houben was director of the First International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam 2003, with the theme ‘Mobility, a room with a view’. From 2003-2005 she was a member of the International Design Committee of London. From 2002-2006 she was City Architect of Almere. Since 2007 Francine Houben has been appointed as visiting professor at Harvard University. In 2007 she received honorary fellowships to the American Institute of Architects and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. In 2008 she was awarded the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year Award for the professional quality of Mecanoo.
Aart Fransen
partner/technical director
Aart Fransen (1960), born and educated in The Hague, the Netherlands, graduated from the HTS Building Design School in 1983. After working for the Rijksgebouwendienst in The Hague from 1983-1986, he joined Mecanoo where he became member of the management team in 1999. He became technical director in 2002 and is partner since 2007. Aart Fransen directs a technical staff of 35 professionals. He is in charge of managing large-scale public projects including theatres, congress centres, museums, and libraries, and also high-rise and commercial buildings in the Netherlands and abroad.
Francesco Veenstra
partner/associate architect
Francesco Veenstra (1973) was born in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, and graduated in 2002 as an architect from the Academy of Architecture in Rotterdam where he researched the development possibilities of the rail station area of Rotterdam. Francesco Veenstra has been with Mecanoo since 1995 and became a member of the design team in 2002. Since 2007 he is partner. As project architect, his broad range of experience includes public and cultural projects, commercial and residential buildings and international competitions. Francesco Veenstra lectures in the Netherlands and abroad.
Ellen van der Wal
partner/associate architect
Ellen van der Wal (1972) was born and educated in Delft, the Netherlands, where she graduated as an architect with cum laude honours from the Technical University in 1998. In 1996 she studied architecture at the Universitat Polytecnica de Catalunya in Barcelona. Ellen van der Wal joined Mecanoo in 1998 and is member of the design team since 2002. She plays a key role as project architect in the design of masterplans, hotels, commercial office buildings and congress centres. Ellen van der Wal lectures in the Netherlands and abroad.
Francine M. J. Houbenfounding partner/creative director
Francine Houben (1955), born in Sittard, the Netherlands, is founding partner and creative director of Mecanoo architecten. She graduated as an architect with cum laude honours from the Technical University Delft in 1984. Mecanoo has been in practice for more than 25 years in Delft, The Netherlands. Francine Houben is one of Europe’s most active architects having realized numerous works, publications and exhibitions. She lectures all over the world and takes part as a jury member in many prestigious competitions. Her award winning projects illustrate the three fundamental elements of her architectural vision: Composition, Contrast and Complexity. The oeuvre of Francine Houben is extremely wide-ranging, encompassing: houses, schools and complete residential areas, theatres, libraries and skyscrapers, parks, squares and highways, cities, polders and ‘Randstad’, hotels, museums and even a chapel. Francine Houben has won numerous design awards, including the Maaskant Prize for Young Architects, the Jhr. Victor de Stuerspenning Prize, the Best School Building Prize, the National Steel Construction Prize, the A.M. Schreuders Prize, the Dutch Building Prize, the Cityscape Architectural Award and the Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Award. In 2000 she was instated as professor in Architecture and Aesthetics of Mobility at the University of Technology in Delft, The Netherlands. She was professor at the Universitá della Svizzera Italiana, Accademia di architettura, in Mendrisio in Switzerland in 2000-2001. In 2001 she received an honorary fellowship of the Royal Institute of British Architects in London and published her manifesto on architecture the book Composition, Contrast, Complexity. Francine Houben was director of the First International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam 2003, with the theme ‘Mobility, a room with a view’. From 2003-2005 she was a member of the International Design Committee of London. From 2002-2006 she was City Architect of Almere. Since 2007 Francine Houben has been appointed as visiting professor at Harvard University. In 2007 she received honorary fellowships to the American Institute of Architects and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. In 2008 she was awarded the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year Award for the professional quality of Mecanoo.
Aart Fransenpartner/technical director
Aart Fransen (1960), born and educated in The Hague, the Netherlands, graduated from the HTS Building Design School in 1983. After working for the Rijksgebouwendienst in The Hague from 1983-1986, he joined Mecanoo where he became member of the management team in 1999. He became technical director in 2002 and is partner since 2007. Aart Fransen directs a technical staff of 35 professionals. He is in charge of managing large-scale public projects including theatres, congress centres, museums, and libraries, and also high-rise and commercial buildings in the Netherlands and abroad.
Francesco Veenstrapartner/associate architect
Francesco Veenstra (1973) was born in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, and graduated in 2002 as an architect from the Academy of Architecture in Rotterdam where he researched the development possibilities of the rail station area of Rotterdam. Francesco Veenstra has been with Mecanoo since 1995 and became a member of the design team in 2002. Since 2007 he is partner. As project architect, his broad range of experience includes public and cultural projects, commercial and residential buildings and international competitions. Francesco Veenstra lectures in the Netherlands and abroad.
Ellen van der Walpartner/associate architect
Ellen van der Wal (1972) was born and educated in Delft, the Netherlands, where she graduated as an architect with cum laude honours from the Technical University in 1998. In 1996 she studied architecture at the Universitat Polytecnica de Catalunya in Barcelona. Ellen van der Wal joined Mecanoo in 1998 and is member of the design team since 2002. She plays a key role as project architect in the design of masterplans, hotels, commercial office buildings and congress centres. Ellen van der Wal lectures in the Netherlands and abroad.
website: www.mecanoo.com
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