Who are you, deep down? What kind of ‘architect’ are you, really?

See, in the course of our life, we build all these layers around us and come to believe that these are who we really are. But — they’re layers. So the question is: What’s underneath these layers? This is the quest, the adventure, the great challenge! Who are you REALLY, deep down?

The path of discovering — or better, re-membering — the Truth is the path of heightened Self-awareness. You can learn and explore who you are through the most mundane tasks and occurrences at Architecture school and in your daily life. By becoming conscious of your thoughts, emotions and beliefs, you develop a sense of what makes you ‘tick’. By re-framing your experiences, you choose what lessons you wish to learn. By discovering your strengths, capacities, passions, and gifts, you awaken your inner power and sense of service. By meeting yourself more deeply, you come to meet the world around you more deeply too.

Architecture studies are a precious opportunity to do that. Yes, they are packed with projects, exams, and deadlines, but if you live as if all experiences occur to bring you closer to your Self — who you really are — then you can access a deeper level of consciousness and learn what Architecture school does not teach you. By choosing this path, you will gradually dissolve the illusion of separation and re-connect to an innate sense of clarity. In this state, you are clear about who you really are and are able to make choices from the very centre of your being. This, my friend, makes you a powerful catalyst for change and transformation.

Within short videos I am sharing my personal journey of my time at Architecture school & beyond, with the intention to inspire you to share your Truth. Click through the videos below and come on this journey with me, let’s grow together! Want to get involved?

#01: The Architecture industry is undergoing a major shift and we architects, architecture students and creatives need to join forces in order to raise the quality of the (building) industry and shape our future planet in meaningful ways. I would love to see our industry as an inspiring and rewarding place to be in, where we dream together and empower each other, and ultimately: join forces to make this world a little more in love with itself again, with our unique magic.

#02: In an era of uprising and revolution we are facing big challenges and opportunities, such as Global Warming, AI, emerging technologies, demographic shifts and globalisation. Architecture is also becoming more multidisciplinary than ever before; and so from all the choice that is presented to us these days it can be incredibly difficult to choose a career path. This episode serves as a base for the upcoming lessons/stories and suggests how each one of you knows deep down what you want, but that you are not always conscious of it due to layers of social conditioning and self-limiting beliefs. Self-awareness is key and implies a mindset shift about trivial daily experiences in order to create a steady flow of 'becoming'. Often that means to get rid of habits and change thought processes in order to peel off (many) layers of conditioning, which leaves you with a pure and all-knowing core of self.

#03: Architecture studies and the industry itself can be very competitive and so it can be difficult not to get caught up in a rat race of comparing yourself to your colleague's skills and abilities. This episode demonstrates what you can do instead in order to bring out the best in yourself and how you can contribute to the big global puzzle with your unique strengths and abilities!

#04: Architecture studies can be a constant struggle between believing in yourself and your work - or doubting yourself and your work completely. This episode demonstrates how self-doubt is normal and very necessary for progress & innovation. By simply questioning your doubts upfront, you can learn more about yourself and use them to lead you towards your truth. All you’ll ever need is already in you.

#05: In an era of individualism, the importance of finding and cultivating your tribe within the (Architecture) industry cannot be emphasized enough. This episode demonstrates how you how can find connection at school/work and how you can use the universal law of attraction to attract your soul tribe into your life. Ultimately it is love and connection that lay the internal foundation to create (built) environments that connect and nourish in return.

#06: The vast majority of society goes through life on autopilot - out of convenience - but the 21st century is an era of major revolution where architects need to stand up and challenge the status quo of what Architecture means and how it can contribute to our (built) environments. Just like pcs, architects also need to regularly upgrade their internal softwares in order to be bold and reality-bending social radicals. Check out this episode to upgrade your mental operation system!

#07: What if we see this 21st century as not only an era of major revolution with upcoming challenges and opportunities, but also as an era where we architects collectively rise up to a new level of self-knowledge and become more conscious of how and where we can contribute best with our innate talents, passions and interests? The truth is that you have a unique combination of natural talents, strengths and interests - and in this episode I'm happy to share with you how I found mine, so you can find yours.

#08: Do you think it is a coincidence that some topics feel more fun to you? That some activities come more natural to you? That you feel so compassionate about certain topics? You have many different expressions within you already - and it's easier than you think to unlock them. All it takes is a mindset shift and some action. This episode will teach you how to get closer to your inherent expression, and therefore get closer to your true calling. Are you ready?

#09: Are you one of those multi-passionate people and want to do so many things in your life? You don't know how and when to accommodate all your interests in one life time? Been there - done that. Being the way you are is actually your gift, so listen up if you need some clarity on how to handle your CRAZY. Within this episode I propose some strategies and mindset tricks on how to get closer towards your truth.

#10: While your passions are precious and beautiful, some of them are worth monetizing - and some of them are simply to be kept as a hobby. How do you know when your passion can stand the 'Passion Test' and has the potential for an actual career? Within this episode, I propose 2 steps on how to determine whether your passion has potential and give you insight on how to create a compelling mission and vision!

#11: Within this episode, I talk about my massive breakdown during my studies that encouraged me to rethink my beliefs and habits. In a world that encourages 'faster' and 'more', it can become difficult to know when to slow down. Architecture studies and the industry itself can be very stressful at times, but by cultivating a strong mindset and connection of spirit, mind and body - architects, arch students and creatives can actually achieve 'more by doing less'.

#12: Sometimes we need to reach a low point in order to realize what self-limiting habits and beliefs we have been carrying around with us. For me, my breakdown felt as if I've failed - as I labelled it as 'bad'. We are so conditioned by society to avoid failure at all costs, but what if it is a blessing in disguise with a hidden treasure? This episode is about the link between creativity and failure; thus how you as an architect/creative can use it to your advantage by simply changing your mindset around it. By guiding you through a simple visualization technique that I use on a regular basis, you may return back to your inner peace in order to remember who you are.

#13: The 2nd-semester study trip to India was an eye-opener. By actually meeting the community 1 on 1, I realized what I had forgotten all the way: that by studying Architecture I am designing FOR people. The challenge for us architects is to remember what that really means and how we can shift Architecture from one of separation to one of connectedness. Within this episode, I talk about how self-alienation leads to a built environment that alienates its users and itself. As a matter of fact we live in uncompassionate times and the world we see is merely a reflection of our collective (architectural) consciousness. How can we architects and creatives turn the tables and shift from selfish self-expression to collaborative creations and community potential?

#14: During my 2nd semester study trip to India, our TukTuk driver proposed to go and visit a guru. I said 'Yes, sure' - same day I find myself having one of the most bizarre 30 minutes of my life with an Indian guru that prophesizes: My memory will deteriorate over the next months. Little did I know that 3 weeks later back in Holland, I could hardly distinguish a floorplan from a section. It was a Self-Fulfilling-Prophecy. What's the message? How does this relate to Architecture? This episode is all about how an unexpected guru visit can lead to great insights and messages that potentially make or break a (future) architect.

#15: Teamwork can be energizing and fun, but also draining and conflict-ridden. It can bring out the best and the worst in you. As a poor teamwork experience at school led me down a spiral of disbelief, I learnt a lot of lessons that, ultimately, empowered me and led me towards my truth. This episode suggests how interpersonal issues are your best education as they show you how you can improve your character in order to engage in future collaborations where you bring out the best in each other. Learning how to communicate is crucial as the future of Architecture is all about COLLABORATION and adapting quickly to different sets of professionals.

Santos House of Jazz Graduation Project: In Feb 2018 I graduated with a Masters in Architecture from TU Delft upon presenting my project 'SANTOS House of Jazz: a proposal to re-design the abandoned Santos warehouse in Rotterdam harbour and turn it into a House of Jazz’. The project aims to revive Jazz in Rotterdam's Katendrecht district after the genre was banned in the entire city during WWII. Only the Belvedere Verhalenhuis in Katendrecht survived and remained as a symbol of hope that Jazz would not die. Today, it does not function as a jazz club any more, so my aim is to turn the nearby abandoned Santos warehouse into the new heart of Jazz in Katendrecht and revive an important piece of the city’s history. In order for Santos to 'survive' the next 50-100 years, there was a need to rethink Jazz, what the genre needs in order to evolve and how the building could adapt and contribute to that.