THE ARCHITECTS OF THE NETHERLANDS
The list of famous and prominent architects from the Netherlands can be very long. From Gerrit Rietveld and Rem Koolhaas to Herman Hertzberger and Wim Quist, some of the most famous names globally come from this country. During the 19th century, Dutch architects were at the forefront of modernism and De Stijl. Nowadays their contemporary colleagues are contributing to urban landscapes around the world. In the following lines, we will introduce you to some of the best Dutch architects.
Rem Koolhaas
Rem Koolhaas is one of the most accomplished Dutch architects of all time. His designs for some of the most prominent buildings in Holland achieved international acclaim. Koolhaas has written several books that cemented his reputation as one of the most important architectural theorists of this generation. Among countless awards, he received the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2000 and was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2008.
Overseas, Koolhaas is best known for designing the building of the China Central Television headquarters in Beijing, a glass construction that appears to defy gravity, and the Seattle Central Library made up of five faceted platforms.
Jacob van Rijs
Jacob van Rijs is an urbanist and a co-founder and principal architect of MVRDV. His love of modern cities has allowed him to create stunning works of architecture for a new age of contemporary architecture.
Turquoise by day and fuscia by night, ‘Chungha Building’ in Seoul is elegantly futuristic. Colorful planes push outwards from the center of the building creating a dynamic building pulsating with life.
Mark Hemel
Mark Hemel is an architect and designer, who is best known as the (co) architect of the Canton Tower in Guangzhou. While most towers are overtly masculine with strong, straight lines, Hemel defines this work as ‘sexy complexity’ with its sensuous, feminine curves.
The tower has been nicknamed—‘Xiao Man Yao’, meaning ‘young girl with tight waist’. Not only has Hemel succeeded in creating the world’s tallest TV tower, but he has created the most feminine amongst so many phallic symbols.
Wiel Arets
Wiel Arets is an architect, urbanist, and theorist. With his signature in design - "chameleon-like appearance" and polished glass facades, Wiel Arets is one of the most prominent figures of modern Dutch architecture. One of his iconic projects is H ’House, a suburban, residential project on the outskirts of Maastricht.
Designed for a couple of landscape architects, H’ House fits seamlessly into an existing formal garden. The highly polished exterior reflects the foliage uniting the two areas further. Inside is a minimalist interior with white walls and flexible living space, however, the most ephemeral aspect of this whole house is a staircase that floats, never touching the downstairs concrete floor.
Both nationally and worldwide, Dutch architects continue contributing with their pioneering approach to design, architecture, and engineering. We look forward to the new architectural masterpieces of this school.
