Francine Houben

"Architecture must appeal to all the senses and is never purely intellectual, conceptual, or visual alone. It is about combining all the individual elements into one, holistic concept. What counts ultimately is the arrangement of form and emotion: architecture should touch all the senses." Francine Houben (b. 1955) began to formulate the three fundamental concepts of her architectural vision whilst studying at the Technical University in Delft, the Netherlands. Designing primarily for People, constructing spaces that are relevant to Place, and forging connections that give a building Purpose have remained consistent, underlying values to Mecanoo’s practice over the past three decades. Always seeking inspiration in the details of specific sites and locations, Francine bases her work on precise analysis coupled with an intuition built over three decades. She interweaves social, technical, playful and human aspects of space-making together in order to create a unique solution to each architectural challenge. Francine combines the disciplines of architecture, urban planning and landscape architecture in an untraditional way, with a profound sensitivity for light and beauty. Her use of materials, which often contrast in a complementary way, are the sum total of her creative expression.

Architecture

Urban Planning

Landscape Architecture