Arabic

Koen Olthuis,

Waterstudio.NL, The Netherlands

 Koen Olthuis (1971) studied Architecture and Industrial Design at the Delft University of Technology. He is founder of the Dutch architectural firm Waterstudio.NL that specializes in floating structures to counter concerns of floods, which are both a local concern (since one-third of the Netherlands is reclaimed land) as well as a global one, due to the possible effects of climate change. In 2007 he was chosen as nr. 122 on the Time Magazine list of most influential people in the world due to the worldwide interest in water developments. In his vision, today’s designers are an essential part of  the climate change generation. The new and expected climate effects, together with  the pressure on space through urbanization, will push our design targets beyond the waterfront.  This involves not only developing architectural concepts and typologies, but also a new sustainable way of dealing with water  as well as a dynamic approach to city planning.