23/06 2013
Student Dwellings wins the Leiden Architecture Audience Award 2013
KAAN Architecten wins the yearly prize thanks to the public preference.

KAAN Architecten wins the yearly prize thanks to the public preference.
Next Tuesday, 3 October, Kees Kaan will give a lecture at the National School of Architecture of Paris La Villette (ENSAPLV), kicking off the new academic year.
Titled “Building Narratives,” the lecture will explore the transformative power of narrative construction within architectural projects. Kaan will delve into how each project takes on a distinct identity as the architect crafts a compelling narrative, engaging individuals and stories along the way. This process, as Kaan emphasizes, is inclusive and open, actively inviting the input of all stakeholders. By incorporating the diverse opinions and experiences of those involved, this approach ultimately results in the creation of buildings that are not only robust and straightforward but also deeply connected to the needs and aspirations of both future occupants and society as a whole. Read more at the link.
Practical information:
ENSAPLV, Amphi 302
Tuesday October 3, 2023 at 18.00 h
Free admission, limited seating available
in English
Featured image by Sebastian van Damme.
On Sunday 10 September, Utopia Library and Academy for Performing Arts in Aalst will open its doors to visitors during the Day of Architecture in Flanders.
Organized by the Flemish Architecture Institute, Day of Architecture is just one of many events taking place during the Festival of Architecture from 5 – 10 September which aims to highlight architectural culture with numerous activities throughout Flanders and Brussels. On 10 September, the Day of Architecture exceptionally coincides with Heritage Day, and visitors of Utopia will get to experience firsthand how contemporary architecture and heritage meet.
©Delfino Sisto Legnani e Marco Cappelletti
Visitors can explore Utopia by themselves between 14.00-17.00 (no registration needed), or join an exclusive lecture by Vincent Panhuysen. The lecture will take place in the auditorium at 15:00, followed by a guided tour of the building. Space is limited, so make sure to register in advance.
Practical information
Utopia Library and Academy for Performing Arts, Aalst
10 September
14.00 – 17.00 – walk in, free visit – no registration needed
15.00 – lecture by Vincent Panhuysen and a guided tour – due to limited capacity, a free registration is required here
We are pleased to introduce “Reflections,” published by Paleis Het Loo in collaboration with nai010 publishers and KAAN Architecten.
“Reflections,” also available in Dutch as “Spiegelingen,” chronicles the process of renovating and extending Paleis Het Loo. Once a Dutch royal hunting palace, it has since evolved into one of the Netherlands’ most esteemed and frequently visited museums.
Through a collection of striking photographs and informative accounts from key contributors to the project, the book highlights the history of the palace and the new design by KAAN Architecten, illustrating how these elements harmoniously converge. “Reflections” offers a fascinating account of a successful transformation, where the past, present, and future seamlessly reinforce each other.
Now available for preorder!
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August 2023
editors: Anton Kos, Peter Bakkum, Pien Harms, Michel van Maarseveen, Dikkie Scipio
authors: Floris Alkemade, Peter Bakkum, Pien Harms, Anton Kos, Michel van Maarseveen, Koen Ottenheym, Wim Pijbes, Dikkie Scipio
design: Koehorst in ‘t Veld
photography: Sebastian van Damme, Marnix Klooster, Simon Menges,Dominique Panhuysen, Bouke Wolbrink
publisher: nai010 publishers, Rotterdam
in collaboration with: Museum Paleis Het Loo
hardcover | 22 x 28 cm | 176 pages | illustrated (130 full color)
The Parque Orla Piratininga (POP), a joint revitalisation project of the Niteroi lagoon by KAAN Architecten, Phytorestore, and Embya, inaugurated its first completed section.
In the last week’s ceremony, Mayor Axel Grael recognised the park’s innovation and its important role in Niterói’s plan for a sustainable and inclusive future. The inaugurated section is named Recanto Carlos Boechat in honour of the former councillor and regional administrator of the Oceanic Region, who played a crucial role in engaging with the community and was instrumental in ensuring the successful implementation of the park.
POP project aims at a long-term improvement of Niterói’s Piratininga Lagoon. It includes extensive water-filtering gardens, an overarching network of pedestrian and bike paths, lookouts, squares, recreation areas, and an eco-cultural centre focused on environmental education. Explore our design for the Eco-museum!
It is currently the largest project in Brazil using Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and has already won the Latam Smart City Awards in the Sustainable Urban Development and Mobility category. More recently, it won the Sustainable Cities Award for the best environmental project in the country. Learn more about the project here!
Featured image courtesy of WRI Brazil
During their state visit to Belgium, His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, accompanied by Belgian King Filip and Queen Mathilde, visited our Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp.
On behalf of our design team, they were greeted by Dikkie Scipio, and as part of their tour, they made a special stop at the iconic Madonna by Fouquet. More information on their visit can be found here.
© Sanne de Block, KMSKA
© Sanne de Block, KMSKA
© Sanne de Block, KMSKA
© Sanne de Block, KMSKA
Photographs by Sanne de Block. Courtesy of KMSKA.
As contributors to ‘The New Together exhibition’, we are joining the PLATFORM Architecture Festival in Venice from June 23-26, 2023. at the Scuola Grande di Misericordia.
The New Together Exhibition emerges as an active platform, gathering projects that embody a new era and offer solutions for the transition. ”Metamorphosis is the closest image to indicate a phase of profound transformation that is challenging our lifestyles, the tools and languages with which we represent them, and the visions with which we imagine a different future” claim the exhibition’s curators Luca Molinari and Simona Finessi.
Photograph by Sebastian van Damme
The exhibition showcases a collection of 140 projects developed worldwide in the past three years, spanning various scales and promoting social interaction. Our Amsterdam Courthouse is one such project encouraging encounters, dialogues, and shared experiences within the judicial and wider city context. Managing architect Marco Lanna joins the Platform Architecture Festival to present the project on 24 June.
The New Together Exhibition is held from May 20 to July 30 at the Scuola Grande di Misericordia in Venice. More information here.
On Saturday, June 24, we will be hosting an Open Office Day as part of Rotterdam Architecture Month.
Our office is located in the heart of Rotterdam, in the former premises of De Nederlandsche Bank. Join us between 13.30 and 17.00 to delve into the fascinating history of this mid-century landmark and learn more about our work and projects.
Additional information is available here.
To celebrate the one-year anniversary of publishing our first monograph, PORTRAITS, we are hosting a special presentation of the book in Zürich in association with Park Books and ETH Zürich.
Nearly a year ago, we celebrated the launch of PORTRAITS, a significant publication that offers a unique perspective on fifteen of our major built works to date. These selected projects were portrayed as distinct characters with distinctive physiognomies, yet they belong to the same family and share similar features, hence the book’s title.
Beyond being a project overview, publishing PORTRAITS was a culmination of a research process aimed at interpreting a complex genealogy that reveals the 15 buildings not as autonomous entities but as parts of a shared vision.
To celebrate the one-year anniversary of our first monograph, we are hosting a special presentation of the book in Zürich in association with our publisher Park Books and our friends at the gta institute from ETH Zürich. Join us on 21 June at 19:00 for an engaging evening with the book editors and special guests, followed by an interactive Q&A session and celebratory drinks.
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Wed, 21 June 2023; 19.00
Never Stop Reading (Spiegelgasse 18, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland)
Speakers:
Alice Colombo (KAAN Architecten)
Kees Kaan (KAAN Architecten, TU Delft)
Tom Avermaete (gta institute, ETH Zürich)
Entry is free. Due to high interest and limited capacity we kindly ask to register your attendance at press@kaanarchitecten.com
In anticipation of the opening of the Venice Biennale of Architecture, a panel titled ‘Finding New Freedoms’ will be held on May 18th at Palazzo Contarini Polignac. This panel is part of the multifaceted communication initiative called Berührungspunkte.
The panel aligns with the Biennale’s theme of ‘change,’ which is emphasized by this year’s curator, Lesley Lokko, as a means of creating a collective and relevant future. During this event, four architects will briefly share their perspectives on this question and present their visions for the future based on their own practices.
Joining the panel are Dikkie Scipio (KAAN Architecten), Robert Winkel (Mei architects and planners), Frederik Jacobs (CONIX RDBM Architects), and Ron Bakker (PLP Architecture). Together, they will explore the provocative question of whether we can define new freedoms and how we can attain them.
We invite you to join us on Thursday, May 18th at 09.30 am at Palazzo Contarini Polignac in Venice. To secure your attendance, please register for free here.
Featured image courtesy of beruehrungspunkte.de
Following a grand opening ceremony in the presence of His Majesty the King on 21 April, Paleis Het Loo is now finally open for visitors.
Last Friday evening, we marked the opening of this special project with an unforgettable show featuring mesmerizing projections, live music, dance, and an array of lights.
Jorrit Lousberg/Light at Work Photography
As the guest of honour, His Majesty the King visited the extension before the show, pictured below with Dikkie Scipio, Michel van Maarseveen, Pien Harms, and Gerdi Verbeet.
Frank van Beek
Images courtesy of Paleis Het Loo.