People, Place, Purpose

All begins by making observations of people, location, culture and climate. Only then will the architects from Mecanoo start designing their projects. Since its foundation in Delft in 1984, the Dutch firm has been committed to creating architecture that contributes to a better world.In keeping with her principle of focusing on the significance of human needs and analysing the potential of a location for the urban and architectural design concept, wonderful identity-forming meeting places have been created.Francine Houben offered a fascinating look behind the scenes of the high-profile design concepts that have been built worldwide, such as the Delft University of Technology Library, the Library of Birmingham and  the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts in Taiwan.

In her lecture, founder and creative director Francine Houben presented her worldwide projects that are based on three fundamental elements also enshrined in the title of the latest book about Mecanoo, People, Place, Purpose.

As curator of the First International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam in 2003, she brought the theme of the aesthetics of mobility to the forefront of international design consciousness. In 2010, Francine Houben was granted lifelong membership in the Akademie der Künste in Berlin. She holds Honorary Doctorates from Utrecht University and Université de Mons. She has gained international acclaim for her work. Queen Máxima of the Netherlands presented her with the prestigious Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds for her entire oeuvre in 2015