Ben van Berkel
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Address:

Ben van Berkel
UNStudio

Stadhouderskade 113 PO Box 75381
1070 AJ Amsterdam
Netherlands

T: +31 (0)20 570 20 40
F: +31 (0)20 570 20 41

Biography

Ben van Berkel studied architecture at the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam and at the Architectural Association in London, receiving the AA Diploma with Honours in 1987. In 1988 he founded the Van Berkel & Bos Architectuurbureau with the Caroline Bos, extending their theoretical and writing projects to the practice of architecture. In 1998 Ben van Berkel co-founded UNStudio (United Net). He has lectured and taught at many architectural schools around the world. Currently he holds the Kenzo Tange Visiting Professor's Chair at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. In 2018 he founded UNSense, an Arch Tech company based in Amsterdam that designs and integrates human-centric tech solutions for the built environment.

Articles about Ben van Berkel

COLUMN

All Very Urban

7/17/2023

The Van B apartment building designed by Ben van Berkel offers "Very Urban Living" and, according to the client, has what it takes to become Munich's new architectural icon. Our author Alexander Russ took a look at the concept in 2021 and wrote the headline "Less for more". A visit to the construction site shall clarify what the project is all about.

COLUMN

Less for More

2/24/2021

The “Van B” residential building in Munich hopes to provide answers to the housing questions of our time. Our author took a closer look at the concept behind it.

SALONE DEL MOBILE 2018

A touch of new objectivity

5/10/2018

Quo vadis, furniture design? This year’s Salone del Mobile reveals a few ideas. An analysis in our glance back at the fair.

DESIGN

Night flight

1/31/2018

The aesthetics of architecture in the urban environment by night is brought to the fore by Zumtobel’s “Supersystem outdoor” and “Nightsight” lighting solutions.

DESIGN

Architecture for the table

11/12/2017

There are many architects who are passionate about designing not only buildings, but also small structures for everyday use. Why is that so?

DESIGN

It’s back!

10/15/2017

Feria Habitat Valencia is back – thankfully. We cast a glance at the novelties from the South.

MAGAZINE

Good night sight

6/5/2017

We present luminaires for public spaces that score high in terms not only of energy efficiency, but also for their extraordinary lighting effects and elegant appearance.

STYLEPARK TECHTEXTIL

“Sometimes industry is further advanced than we architects realize”

5/10/2017

With a textile pavilion, Ben van Berkel, the founder of UN Studio, has demonstrated what we may soon see being used for high-rises. We spoke to the architect about his research.

STYLEPARK TECHTEXTIL

From outer space into architecture

4/19/2017

Travel with UN Studio to Mars to discover new products and new applications for lightweight architecture: We present the highlights of this year’s Techtextil in Frankfurt.

STYLEPARK ZUMTOBEL - ACTIVE LIGHT

Modular through the night

1/20/2017

People need the right light at the right time. And that means outside, too. Which is why “human-scale lighting” is shaping the most interesting developments in outdoor luminaires.

ARCHITECTURE

Manual for spaceships

10/11/2016

Reading educates 04: The monograph on “Knowledge Matters” summarizes the complex thought models and development processes behind the architectures of UNStudio and illustrates a large number of works in the form of elaborate architectural graphics.