Our approach
Good collaboration is the most important prerequisite for creating an innovative, sustainable building. Every project starts with people who understand each other.
That is why we want to know how our clients talk, think, what their ambitions are, and what their vision for a project is. We also want to hear this from the future users – they often have excellent ideas. We also love to hear what local residents think about a new building. We believe in the value of genuine connections with everyone involved.
Every innovative, sustainable building starts with people who understand each other. Good collaboration is the most important prerequisite
A construction project can best be compared to a complex puzzle of wishes, laws, interests, and budgets. We prefer to raise the bar even higher. Every piece of the puzzle must be in precisely the right place. Thanks to our years of experience, we know how to achieve this. From start to finish, from the first sketch to the handover of keys. And often for a while afterward.
Collaboration
From the very first sketches, we involve the people who will be affected by the building. We talk not only with our client, but also with the municipal urban planners and the aesthetic committee, with local residents and future users. We enjoy listening to stories from the neighborhood, what's going on, and what's important. This collaboration builds support and trust. We also enjoy collaborating with our contractors. We learn from them, and they learn from us. To maintain our involvement and guarantee quality, we develop our designs all the way to the final design phase (UO). And sometimes even further.
In every project, the design issues, challenges and possibilities of all disciplines are on the table from the outset
Our team of specialists has become perfectly attuned to each other over the years. We work interdisciplinary. This means everyone dares to look beyond the boundaries of their specialty. Because we believe that construction, installation, building physics, and architecture are inseparable. Together, we devise smart, integrated, and above all, logical solutions that make everyone happy. You might work faster alone, but together you achieve more. We know that this integrated approach yields the most beautiful ideas and innovations.
We always look beyond beauty because we're not just architects, but also technicians and systems thinkers. Driven, skilled, and experienced across the entire field. We create spatially functional designs with character, integrating structural engineering, building services, and building physics. At the same time, we keep a close eye on costs. We enjoy working with trusted partners; people who share our ambitions and with whom we've had positive experiences. They appreciate that we continually ask ourselves: is this the best solution? That's what has brought us a great deal over the past thirty years.
We view architecture, construction, building services, and building physics as inextricably linked aspects of a single whole. This allows us to truly collaborate with our partners, creating opportunities for better, smarter, and more innovative solutions. Thanks to long-term partnerships, we speak the same language as our clients and construction partners. This creates a natural interplay between design, technology, and implementation. This makes the process not only more efficient but also more enjoyable and valuable.
These are the certifications and quality marks we have obtained and the institutes with which we are closely associated:
SCL
We were the first Dutch architectural firm to receive SCL certification. SCL stands for Safety Culture Ladder. It demonstrates our commitment to safety. At our office, this means, among other things, that you know the evacuation plan and that you are never alone in the building so that there is always someone who can help you in an emergency. On the construction site, you wear a hard hat, safety shoes, and a vest. If you observe unsafe behavior, you report it. For us, SCL also means that we consider the safety of builders, users, and the building's maintenance staff in all our designs. How will the window cleaners be able to do their work safely, for example?
B Corp
We are a Benefit Corporation, or B Corp for short. We achieved this certification because, in addition to profit, we also value social and environmental impact. We can demonstrate that we meet high standards in sustainability, transparency, and social responsibility. This includes fair employment practices, environmental stewardship, and responsible business practices throughout the entire supply chain. Making a profit is a good thing, but not at the expense of people or the planet. As a B Corp, our mission is enshrined in our bylaws, and we are regularly reassessed.
ISO 9001
Another certification we're proud of is ISO 9001, an international standard for quality management systems. In short, this certification demonstrates that we properly organize, manage, and continuously improve our processes. In practical terms, it means we always work in the same, traceable way, are open and accessible, and that at least two people in our office are fully knowledgeable about any given project.
DGBC
Since 2017, Paul de Ruiter has served on the board of DGBC, the Dutch Green Building Council. This independent foundation focuses on making buildings and areas in the Netherlands more sustainable. The foundation also develops and manages standards and quality marks to make sustainability measurable and verifiable. The most important sustainability quality mark for buildings is BREEAM. This objectively measures a building's sustainability during design, construction, and use. We are also familiar with LEED, GPR, WELL, and similar quality marks.
Greenhouse Gas CAP
We also use the Greenhouse Gas CAP program. This is a tool that helps monitor a building's CO₂ emissions, set reduction targets, and report on progress; it maps your carbon footprint. It's part of larger programs aimed at Paris-proof construction, helping us achieve the 2050 climate goals now.