Vertex Architectuur en Stedenbouw

Vertex Architectuur en Stedenbouw works from a coherent vision on architecture, urban development and spatial planning within a changing, social context. Our living environment is thereby considered as an ecosystem, where a continuous search exists for the balance between program, spatial context, experience, use and community.

Activities include advice regarding challenges in urban restructuring and area development, plan development, architecture, construction preparation, management and implementation. The broad orientation of Vertex Architectuur en Stedenbouw garanties an integral, process based approach to commissions at every scale level. The thematic workfields include housing, working, culture and urban development.

Housing quality covers more than a functional translation from spatial program requirements. It is about ambiance, identity and experience. About materialization and proportions. But also about the relationship between individual use and collective use, privacy and flexibility.

In the ecosystem housing is regarded as a link or a building block, as a result of which the different relationships with the surroundings are naturally included as a self-evident element of the living environment and contribute to community building. Social trends like individualisation, living at home longer and diversification of demand, but also questions like energy transition and sustainable use of material require a broad and integral view on the design. Especially in the field of healthcare architecture this approach does find much support.

Urban interfaces are working environments which transfer the spatial and organizational innovative strength of the creative economy to other sectors of the economy. These work environments are understood to be buildings that are innovatively furbished and are linked to a process organization that expresses the dynamics that characterize the creative sector. By creating space for spin-offs, urban interfaces offer the chance to integrate the collaboration models in a sustainable and broader economic system.

Creativity does not lie in the content of a certain sector, but in the way in which one organizes work. These new working environments are a breeding ground for the emergence of new communities, they contribute to the revitalization of neighbourhoods, both as a place for talent development and in the creation of new communities, and as such form part of an urban ecosystem. The transformation of the former RET office building on the Sluisjesdijkpier in Rotterdam, carried out under the supervision of Vertex, is an example of such an Urban interface.

Cultural buildings are an important building block of an urban ecosystem.Aside from functioning as a stage for miscellaneous activities such as theatre, film, dance, etc. these places form a breeding ground for encounters and with that a potential catalyst for community building. In addition, these buildings play a role in acquiring all kinds of skills linked to various cultural expressions, so at the same time these places become a stage for talent development. With the deployment of cultural buildings, a contribution can be made to the vitalization of existing neighbourhoods.

The ‘Louis Hartlooper Complex’ in Utrecht is an example of this approach. The former police station Tolbrugsteeg from 1928, was transformed into a centre for film and culture. The building is part of the ‘Museums Quarter’, a historic part of town where municipal policy focuses on reinforcing and extending cultural and educational functions and providing public access to the cultural heritage of the built environment. The centre is a meeting place for producers, associations, companies, schools and other interested parties dealing with film and culture. The design is awarded with the National Transformation Award for Federal Monuments.

Vertex Architectuur en Stedenbouw is co-founder of Veldacademie, a research lab focusing on future-proof and inclusive urban development through (action) research on the daily life in urban context. Since about 15 years the main focus concerns studying the behavior, experience and insights of citizens regarding everyday social-spatial demands like assisted living and healthy aging. Hereby the city is approached as an ecosystem. 

Veldacademie collaborates with various universities and municipalities organizing urban living-labs in which citizens, local government, researchers and entrepreneurs commonly explore innovative solutions for urban issues and test them in practice. One of the main current projects is monitoring the program ‘Towards a Resilient Neighborhood Bospolder-Tussendijken’ in a deprived neighbourhood in Rotterdam. Community building is one of the major focus points of this program. Previous studies within this theme concern social-resilience in New York City, and Design for a Just City in collaboration with Harvard University.