MVRDV facts for kids

Quick facts for kids MVRDV
Practice information
Partners	Jan Knikker, Fokke Moerel, Wenchian Shi, Frans de Witte, Bertrand Schippan
Founders	Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, Nathalie de Vries
Founded	1993 (1993)
No. of employees	+300
Location	Rotterdam, Berlin, Paris, New York, Shanghai
Coordinates	51°55′25″N 4°29′33″E / 51.92363°N 4.49251°E / 51.92363; 4.49251
Significant works and honors
Buildings	Hannover World Exhibition Expo 2000 Dutch Pavilion, Silodam Housing, Market Hall Rotterdam
Awards	European Museum of the Year, International Architecture Award, Skyscraper of the Year, Red Dot Design Award, Prix Versailles, RIBA House of the Year (Public Vote)

Mirador building in Madrid, Spain (2005)

MVRDV is a famous architecture and urban design company. It was started in 1993 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Today, it is known as one of the best architecture firms in the world. MVRDV also has offices in other major cities like Berlin, New York, Paris, and Shanghai. The name MVRDV comes from the last names of its three founders: Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, and Nathalie de Vries.

How MVRDV Started

Before starting MVRDV, the three founders worked at other well-known architecture firms. Winy Maas and Jacob van Rijs worked at OMA. Nathalie de Vries worked at Mecanoo.

They all studied architecture together at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. In 1991, they won a big competition called "Europan 2" with their project "Berlinvoids." This success helped them decide to start their own company two years later. The Dutch government also helped young architects with grants, which made it easier for them to begin their practice.

It took a little while for MVRDV to get going. They didn't even have a permanent office at first. Their first major project was designing new offices for the public broadcasting company VPRO in Hilversum, Netherlands, which they worked on from 1993 to 1997.

Some of their other early projects include:

• The Wozoco housing in Amsterdam (1994–1997)
• The Dutch Pavilion at the Hannover World Exhibition Expo 2000 (1997–2000)

After these, MVRDV designed many other important buildings around the world. These include the Silodam Housing in Amsterdam, the Matsudai Cultural Centre in Japan, and the famous Mirador housing estate in Madrid. More recently, they completed a public library in Spijkenisse, a shopping center in Schijndel, and a large public market hall in Rotterdam.

MVRDV also runs a special research project called "The Why Factory." This is like a "think-tank" that explores new ideas for cities and buildings. They work on this project with the Delft University of Technology.

What Influences MVRDV's Designs?

MVRDV's architects are inspired by many ideas and people. Winy Maas has said that Rem Koolhaas, another famous architect, was very important to his work. Maas sees some of MVRDV's designs as answers to questions Koolhaas raised.

One big idea that influences MVRDV is "densification." This means making cities more compact by building taller buildings or adding more homes in a smaller area. This idea helps cities grow without taking up too much land. MVRDV explores this in their books like FARMAX and KM3. Maas believes that being close to others makes sense and is a key part of our culture.

Maas also remembers warnings from the 1960s about global growth. These warnings made him want to study landscape architecture and urban planning. He believes that solving today's climate challenges needs big, large-scale solutions.

Nathalie de Vries is inspired by the De Stijl art movement and by housing projects from Mecanoo, where she started her career.

MVRDV's Design Style

MVRDV doesn't stick to just one specific style of architecture. Instead, they try to find and develop different ways to design buildings and city spaces. Their projects are created by teams of experts who test many ideas. This approach has led to a special "architectural language" that helps them explain their design choices.

An exhibition called "Architecture speaks" – The Language of MVRDV showed four main ideas that describe MVRDV's work:

• Stack: This idea is about how we need more space and how buildings can be designed to stack different functions vertically. This creates a three-dimensional space. For example, their "Berlinvoids" design used this method to rethink how to make cities denser.
• Pixel: The term "pixel" refers to the smallest unit in a group of units. It helps define the boundaries of space. MVRDV first used it as a measuring tool for their software. Now, it's a flexible form that can be changed to fit different needs.
• Village: With the "village" idea, MVRDV wants to develop not just a single building but also its surroundings. They use the "village" as an example for ideal homes and neighborhoods that can help create "healthy communities."
• Activator: "Activators" are spaces that encourage people to interact with each other. These projects create structures that go beyond just being a place to live. They describe how people interact socially, rather than just how the building looks.

Amazing Buildings by MVRDV

Valley building in Amsterdam

Valley, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Valley building in Amsterdam is a mixed-use development. It won the Emporis Skyscraper Award. It has three towers that are between 67 and 100 meters tall. The building combines offices, shops, restaurants, cultural spaces, and apartments. A green "valley" winds between the fourth and fifth floors, which is open to the public through two outdoor staircases. It's described as "an oasis in a business district" full of regular office buildings.

Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen

Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam, Netherlands

MVRDV won the design competition for this building in 2013. The goal was to let the public see behind the scenes of the museum world. This building is the world's first art storage facility that is open to the public. It displays over 150,000 pieces of art and design that the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen didn't have space to show before. Besides storage, the depot also has exhibition halls, a rooftop garden, and a restaurant.

Tianjin Binhai Library

Tianjin Binhai Library, Tianjin, China

This library is often called “The Eye” because of its unique design. It is part of the Binhai Cultural Center in China. The library has five levels and a total floor space of 33,700 square meters. It features huge, terraced bookshelves that can hold 1.2 million books. In the center, there's a large sphere that holds a 110-seat auditorium. Many people have called this library "breathtaking" and "every book lover’s dream." MVRDV completed this project very quickly, in just three years.

Current Projects

As of 2023, MVRDV is working on many exciting projects around the world. These include:

Europe

Americas

Asia

Awards and Recognition

MVRDV has won many awards for their designs in different areas, like housing, public buildings, and city planning. Some of their notable awards include:

• The RIBA House of the Year (Public Vote)
• European Museum of the Year Jury Prize
• Emporis Skyscraper Award
• International Architecture Award
• Red Dot Design Award

Their work has also been shown in art and architecture galleries around the world, including Tokyo, Rotterdam, Paris, and Berlin.

Research and Future Ideas

MVRDV is not just about designing buildings; they also do a lot of research into the future of cities.

The Why Factory

"The Why Factory" is a special "think tank" and research group at Delft University of Technology. It is led by Winy Maas. This group studies how cities are developing and creates ideas for what future cities and societies might look like. They focus on getting the public involved in discussions about architecture through exhibitions, workshops, and publications.

Founded in 2007, The Why Factory also looks at new and imaginative ways to think about urban landscapes. They explore how new social situations might link with these ideas. To develop their ideas, they use special computer design tools to analyze and create these concepts.

Some of the research projects MVRDV has worked on include:

Images for kids

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  Villa VPRO, Hilversum, Netherlands, MVRDV

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  Silodam Housing complex, Amsterdam, Netherlands, MVRDV

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  Dutch Pavilion at Expo 2000, Hannover, Germany, MVRDV

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  Edificio Celosía, Madrid, Spain, MVRDV

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  Gemini Residence, Islands Brygge, Copenhagen, Denmark, MVRDV

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  "The Gyre", Omotesandō Avenue, Tokyo, Japan, MVRDV

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  Market Hall Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands, MVRDV

See also

In Spanish: MVRDV para niños