Francesco Veenstra, one of six partners at the Dutch practice Mecanoo and Lead Architect on a number of major projects in the United Kingdom, recently spoke to Mies. UK about the practice's approach to design and their unique take on sustainability. Having recently completed a major public building in Birmingham (which was put to the vote and won the AJ's 2013 Building of the Year), and with more in the pipeline, the practice's international outlook is growing. How has the practice's design methodology and core ideas influenced this success? Read more after the break.
Composition, Contrast, Complexity
"In general, the way in which we develop the design method is something which we all do together. Our design philosophy started with the idea of designing something nice during a period when all cities, especially in Holland, were under development and being tortured by architects with very low budget housing projects which dominated the inner cities of Holland."
