How I work
I collaborate closely with clients, stakeholders, neighbors and other experts and specialists from a wide range of fields to design and realize projects. Two people know more than one, more people know much more. As mentioned before, teamwork is key to success, but also exciting and energizing.
In my work it is all about people and how they use, experience and engage in their surroundings. Observation and analysis helps to understand public life. Conversations and listening helps to modify and be more precise about the spaces that we are working on to improve together.
The process is to build trust with clients, make new connections, exchange ideas, change perspectives and explore together what short and long term opportunities are beneficial for everyone.
Explore & observe
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I always explore an area on foot or bicycle so I can see, feel and sense the neighborhood and observe, get in touch with and learn from the people I meet.
Test, learn & improve
We live in a dynamic world and every project needs a strong, well supported framework with a certain level of flexibility. Together we test, evaluate, learn, adjust and improve plans while staying on track and make it a short and long term success.
Talk freely & listen
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Great ideas can come from anywhere. Share your thoughts freely, listen to others' ideas and see where they will lead. Honest and open discussions are not always easy, but the shortest way to the goal of a project: a great plan for everyone.
Help each other
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Ask for help. We live together and make plans together. Once we know our individual and mutual goals, we can see how to get them done and who can help. One day you ask for help, the next day you offer help. We do a project together.
Analyse & design
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Research and analyses helps to understand how people use the areas we are trying to improve together. They also show meaningful insights in the qualities of the built spaces and relationships between them.
Team up & enjoy
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I love to team up with people, make plans together that create opportunities and improve people's lives. Working with others teaches me a lot and I believe I can help people by sharing my knowledge and experience. Most important is to enjoy the ride, together.
The studio is called Orange Urban Design because that color represents what I always aim for when working together on a project: enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, encouragement and success.
Besides that, orange is the national color of the Netherlands, my home country.
