Architecture as Philosophy
Interview with Peter Roelvink Architect & Partner IAA Architecten B.V.
The neighboring country the Netherlands has always been somewhat like a small America in Western Europe. While Germans traditionally think everything through to the end before starting a project, the Dutch are already in the middle of maker-mode, implementing their idea. Especially in times of great change, this trial-and-error can be a big plus. This is also what IAA Architecten from Enschede, who are very successful in the German market, rely on.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Roelvink, you are German-Dutch and a partner in a Dutch architectural firm that has made a name for itself in both countries. Can you briefly outline where the roots of IAA Architecten are?
Peter Roelvink: Of course. We have been in the Netherlands with our headquarters in Enschede since 1968, later Amsterdam and Gronau were added as branches for project planning in the German market. We grew up with educational and healthcare facilities, but today we cover the whole range of services for large projects: urban and landscape architecture, interior design, and architecture. Part of our work today also flows into revitalization projects of existing buildings, and we feel very much at home there.
Wirtschaftsforum: With your background and over 20 years of tenure at IAA Architecten, you are an expert in looking beyond borders. What specific insights can the Netherlands offer that would be beneficial for Germany?
Peter Roelvink: Certainly, both sides can learn a lot from each other. The Dutch spirit of innovation, combined with the trial-and-error approach, is often a cultural advantage, especially in our business, as it allows for quick adoption and adaptation of new things, and further development. This has implications in many areas. Take, for example, the aspect of sustainability, which we urgently need. Here the Germans were early starters, but now the Dutch are perhaps ahead.
Wirtschaftsforum: And your office is a real pioneer in sustainability. Could you please elaborate on that for our readers?
Peter Roelvink: We have been committed to the Cradle-to-Cradle philosophy of Michael Braungart and William McDonough for a long time – a philosophy that emphasizes a consistent circular economy where all materials are reused. Our team has designed the very first office building near Potsdamer Platz in Berlin according to the Cradle-to-Cradle principle with the 'Pulse' building. The idea is that such a building is a storage of materials. Tons of steel, aluminum, glass, etc., go into a construction project. When deconstructing, these materials can be reused, even sold, instead of paying for expensive disposal. There are even traders who are Cradle-to-Cradle certified. Schüco Windows is a prominent example from the building component sector that reintroduces materials into the manufacturing process.
Wirtschaftsforum: Additionally, you are investing in modular construction. How does that fit into this approach?
Peter Roelvink: In modular construction, production takes place in a factory, similar to an automobile manufacturer. For example, when conceptualizing a hotel with 125 rooms, you can complete room prototypes in a controlled environment and then scale them up. This is incredibly efficient, because the manufacturing process of such a module is controlled right down to the necessary drilling for an electrical conduit, eliminating errors at the construction site. We do this through so-called Building Information Modeling (BIM), where the structural engineer, the architect, and the technical building equipment team partner work together in a networked manner. By the way, we are also ahead of the Germans in the Netherlands in this regard. Theoretically, all of this is also sustainable, because modular buildings can be dismantled in the future. Currently, we are also increasingly doing this with care facilities, which can later be dismantled, for example, into townhouses.
Wirtschaftsforum: So in this area, you are currently very successful. Is this just due to professional expertise, long experience, and the adoption of innovations and new philosophies?
Peter Roelvink: It is also important that we develop over time, work closely with customers, and as architects, do not just do our own thing. With our 60 years in the market, we have developed a broad portfolio. I am extraordinarily proud to have had the opportunity to design not only the office building PULSE in Berlin but also the stadium "De Grolsch Veste". Such a unique project is rarely received by an architect in their career. I am also proud that builders consistently return to us. If we go by that alone, we have done many things right over the decades of our project work.
Wirtschaftsforum: Project work in your company is done as a team. Would you like to share some insights about this?
Peter Roelvink: We are 50 employees and seven partners at IAA Architecten, and we live our teamwork by occasionally taking each other's seats to develop an idea further and find a solution. This is an important factor for the success of our projects, and with this open approach, we also hope to continue attracting young talent in the future, even if they might initially focus on the big cities.
Wirtschaftsforum: That brings an integrative and holistic thought into play again. Is this what makes you a good architecture firm?
Peter Roelvink: We aim to create an inspiring, sustainable, and healthy world through and with creativity, expertise, humanity, and ambition. This is our vision.