28 August 2018 – Michelle Kox has not been working for one week in my studio and she already achieved a major success. The Rotterdam Architecture Academy (Rotterdamse Academie van Bouwkunst, RAvB) has nominated her graduation project for the Amsterdam Marine Site for Archiprix, the award for the best graduation work of all Dutch architecture schools.

As her graduation tutor I have followed from close by how Michelle developed an urban design for the Marine Site. As in a previous housing project at RAvB, I have seen how she designs with simple means. She works with commonly available techniques, materials and a traditional formal repertoire and subsequently investigates how one can use these in current construction culture. Michelle’s design for the Marine Site relates critically to previous design exercises. No powerhouse is applied. The comfort of dwelling and working is stressed instead. Both activities are combined casually at a sequence of squares. Existing harbours, buildings and walls have been integrated in the design in a self-evident way. This is an example of architectural urbanism. Michelle’s project is called: ‘The sequential space’.

I was content that Michelle, directly after she received her diploma, agreed to strengthen my office and I have congratulated her cordially with the nomination.