London, UK, Mar 29, 2016 -- Francine Houben has received an Honorary Doctorate from Utrecht University. Maarten Hajer, Professor of Urban Futures at the Faculty of Geosciences, awarded the Honorary Doctorate during the University’s 380th Dies Natalis on March 29, 2016.



“Francine Houben’s thoughtful and interdisciplinary solutions contribute to a well-functioning urbanity,” Maarten Hajer said. “Her work centres on people, but moreover it is about social interaction. She designs buildings that bring out the best in people, creating truly public domains.”

In her words of thanks, Francine Houben emphasised that architecture is never a solo act: “If you want to be innovative, you need passion, creativity and curiosity and to work with researchers from a wide range of specialties, both within and outside of the academic community. Interesting developments in architecture are produced by those who create the freedom to experiment and work together between the fragmented practices of design and construction.”

Francine Houben is the founding partner and creative director of Mecanoo architecten, based in Delft, The Netherlands. With her practice, she has created award winning designs such as the Library of Birmingham, the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building in Boston, MA, and the Delft Municipal Offices and Train Station. Francine Houben curated the first International Architecture Biennial in Rotterdam and is a board member of the Society of Arts, part of the Royal Netherlands Academy for Arts and Sciences. She was recently commissioned to lead the design of the New York Public Library Midtown Campus renovation. In November 2015 Queen Máxima of the Netherlands presented the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Prize to Francine for her oeuvre. The book ‘People Place Purpose’, which outlines Mecanoo’s approach, was also published in November 2015.

For more information, please contact:
Rogier Coopmans
Public relations
Mecanoo architecten
+31 15 279 8100 / +31 6 4027 0025
Email Contact
www.mecanoo.nl

Lecture
On April 11, 2016, Francine Houben will give the lecture “People, Place, Purpose” at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, UK. More information

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