Autor: Hootsmans architectuurbureau

Rob Hootsmans worked for Koen van Velsen, UN Studio (Ben van Berkel) and the Gouvernments Building Agency. In 1995 he won the Prix de Rome, the oldest and most prestigious award in the Netherlands for artists under the age of 40. The award dates back to 1808 when Louis Napoleon introduced the Prix de Rome in the Netherlands to promote the arts. In 2006 he founded Hootsmans architectuurbureau. The office is based in Amsterdam. The office’s range of work has systematically broadened since its foundation and include educational buildings, buildings for the judiciary (courts, prisons and juvenile institutions), (government) offices, restoration / transformation / renovation projects.

The office defines architecture as the result of a process of carefully examining and experimenting with the identity of the site (physical, social, economic, political, administrative, and technical) and the ritualised behaviour of its future users. We start with questioning the brief, and end with a clear geometric structure that offers more possibilities than originally asked, pleases and strives for perfection.

Rob Hootsmans
1993 nomination Archiprix / 1995 first prize Prix de Rome / 1995-present teacher Academy of Architecture (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Arnhem, Tilburg, Groningen) / 2003-2007 member ‘welstandscommissie’ + supervisor Port of Amsterdam / 2007-2011 member commission architecture Fonds BKVB / jurymember Prix de Rome 2001, BNA Kubus 2007 and Archiprix 2011 / 2013-present, member of the Netherlands state exams for architects / 2013, advice Council of Europe, Strengthening the Court Management System in Turkey, The Working Group on the quality of justice of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice / 2006-present Hootsmans architectuurbureau.