But architecture is much more than just complying with the above. It is also the question of: what will make the location more beautiful or more in balance? And what do I want people to experience? It is also possible that the answer is that a certain location does not need an intervention by an architect, but is already perfect.

Together with my team I focus on high-profile designs all over the world. Our portfolio shows how architecture can contribute to social cohesion and cultural inclusivity, creating living environments in which everyone feels at home. We have an office in Amsterdam and in Willemstad. Every other month I fly over to the Dutch Caribbean islands. With a long stop at the office in Curacao, after which I hop over to different islands to present designs to clients, interchange information with the municipalities, visit building sites and explore the location of new assignments. These are long days which start at around 4AM when I connect with the office in Amsterdam to make sure everybody can proceed with their work. We are aware of our carbon footprint by having to travel between the offices, and try to compensate by using energy saving solutions in our projects and to add as much greenery as possible. Besides that we always push for rainwater re-use and local drain water treatment with every project on the islands.