Profile

Space Encounters is an internationally operating and award-winning office for architecture led by the brothers Gijs and Joost Baks. With great joy and sensitivity we create innovative and remarkable architecture for living, working and playing on all scales. We approach each project as an invitation to find an answer to the question: what is the very best this project can be? To us each collaboration is a shared exploration to come to well-made architecture. Finding the best responses to complex architectural challenges requires an open, optimistic attitude, original vision and a hands-on approach.

Our work is celebrated for its clarity, refined rigour, and imaginative approach to solving challenges of the built environment. The designs of Space Encounters take on a resounding position and have a lasting positive impact on their surroundings and users. Our broad expertise encompasses building transformations, sustainable living solutions and building in complex urban contexts.

As a team we regularly discuss the meaning of architecture and architectural thinking in contemporary society. From these discussions we have formulated nine core ideas that together constitute the foundation of Space Encounters’ approach.

Architecture is about the future

We aim to design revolutionary, optimistic buildings. We believe that our work should challenge the status quo and strive to improve it.

Experiment is key

In our designs, we aim to connect with people through imaginative and articulated architecture that results in strong images, whether ornamental or abstract, hand-crafted or technological, spectacular or quiet. We intend to let the poetics of architecture speak by surprising combinations of program, material and users.

Lyrical minimalism is our way to deal with economic constraints

We believe that fewer choices make better buildings. This lyrical minimalism, to us, is the concurrence of essence and accident. The unavoidable process of retrenchment challenges us to bring our designs to their essence, improving them along the way. In doing this we don't shun the banal and excel in making buildings that express great value while being economical to build.

We foster respect and understanding with our clients

By taking adequate time to think with our clients during the design process, we provide solutions of great clarity and quality. Together, we identify the core questions of a commission and cultivate shared positions from which we collectively evaluate the architectural proposals that follow.

Thinking and doing

The curiosity for innovation and refreshing perspectives keeps us moving. In a controlled mixture of soberness and whimsicality we combine conceptual thinking and craftsmanship. Associative thinking and spontaneous creation are generated by physical modeling.

We are storytellers

We see architecture as a romantic discipline that is approached scientifically. We are romantics working with and within rationalised paradigms to create conditions for the richness of places to blossom. Telling stories to uncover the potential of assignments, places, and sights is part of our core practice.

The complexity of the city and nature

We see the city and nature as the same thing only with different conditions. Operating within existing (urban) landscapes means the transformation of multiple existing and parallel realities. All creation is therefore transformation. Sustainable and radical inclusiveness is needed to make a better future - without losing the identity of places. To achieve this, existing structures and buildings need to be revalued to create more living than destruction. How can they be the basis for something better? We believe in the smart densification of our cities by means of transforming and adding to the existing building mass.

The endless space of the universe

We approach architecture holistically and do not strictly build for humans. The line between nature and architecture is diffuse to us and although our main clients are human, our vision is not anthropocentric. We consider humans to be part of a complex system; our spaceship earth. By considering a bigger picture and imagining what the future could be we, design buildings as open structures that not only accommodate contemporary needs, wishes and objectives, but also facilitate change and transformation.

Let's take an optimistic position

We do not pretend that architecture provides all solutions, yet we are convinced that good architecture is relevant. Knowing that the result will be a realised building, model or sketch manifested on a 1:1 scale, stimulates a natural optimism for us. Making architecture requires an optimistic willingness to do the work and this optimism is based in the trust in, the curiosity for and the dedication to the journey ahead.

Honours

2024 Nomination Zuiderkerkprijs 2024
Vertical
2024 Nomination Rietveldprijs 2024
Wisselspoor
2024 Nomination NEPROM Prize 2024
Oostenburg, De Gieter en De Slijper
2024 Nomination NEPROM Prize 2024
Wisselspoor
2024 Nomination Brick Award 2024
BD House
2024 Nomination Amsterdamse Architectuur Prijs 2024
De Gieter en De Slijper
2023 Winner Special Mention Erich Mendelsohn Award 2023
BD House
2020 Winner Gulden Feniks
Het Platform, De Nieuwe Stad
2020 Winner Stadsbouwprijs Amersfoort
Het Platform
2020 Winner Architectenweb Award Office Building of the Year
Het Platform
2020 AR Building honourable mention for Heuvelinkprijs Arnhem
2019 Dezeen nomination Emerging Architect of the Year
2018 Nomination Amsterdamse Nieuwbouwprijs
CPO Apartments Zaaiersweg
2018 Winner Frame Award Emerging Designer of the Year
2018 Winner ARC17 Interior Award, Sony Music Entertainment office
2017 Winner The International Architecture Award
Joolz office
2017 Nominated Geurt Brinkgreve Bokaal
Joolz office
2017 Nomination Geurt Brinkgreve Bokaal
CPO Apartments Zaaiersweg
2017 Winner BNA Building of the Year (Stimulating Environments)
Joolz office
2017 Winner Next Step Award
2016 Nominated ARC16 Interior Award
Joolz office
2016 Finalist Dutch Design Awards
Boring Collection
2016 Winner Milan Design Award
Boring Collection
2014 First prize Best Architecture Almere
Rebel House

Clients

Schipper Bosch Ontwikkeling, Amersfoort
Van Wijnen Ontwikkeling, Diemen
Synchroon, Utrecht
Edwin Oostmeijer Ontwikkeling, Amsterdam
Being Development, Amsterdam
Heijmans, Rosmalen
CBRE, Amsterdam
Leyten, Rotterdam
Stebru, Nieuwenkerk aan den IJssel
Kondor Wessels Projecten, Maarssen
Kondor Wessels Vastgoed, Amsterdam
Boelens De Gruyter, Amsterdam
Flow Real Estate, Amsterdam
VORM Ontwikkeling, Rotterdam
Edge Technologies, Amsterdam
Rijksvastgoedbedrijf, Den Haag
Apenkooi Events, Amsterdam
Certitudo, Den Bosch
Lingotto, Amsterdam
Mevrouw Meijer, Amsterdam
Karbouw, Amersfoort
De Berg Real Estate, Amsterdam

Competitions (tenders and selections)

2024 Ontwikkeltender Amstelkwartier, Amsterdam 1^st prize
Zuiderlicht
2024 Ontwikkeltender Kenniskwartier Zuidas, Amsterdam 1^st prize
Ceci
2023 Ontwikkeltender Sluisbuurt, Amsterdam 1^st prize
Nachteiland
2023 Architectenselectie 1^st prize
ShowDepot DE.GROEN
2023 Architectenselectie, Rheden, 1^st prize
Bezoekerscentrum Veluwezoom
2023 Ontwikkeltender Sluisbuurt, Amsterdam 1^st prize
HipHub
2022 Architectenselectie, Rotterdam, 1^st prize
Het Gele Gebouw
2021 Prijsvraag Buitenplaats Koningsweg, Arnhem, 1^st prize
Dolmen
2021 Ontwikkeltender Westersingel, Rotterdam, in collaboration with ZUS, final round
Go West
2019 Architectenselectie, Bern (CH), in collaboration with Frischi Beis Architektur, 1^st prize
Siedlung Holliger
2019 Ontwikkeltender Bakemapark, Amsterdam, final round
Geus
2018 Ontwikkeltender Kenniskwartier Zuidas, Amsterdam, in collaboration with Powerhouse Company and So-iL, final round
Kenniskwartier
2017 Ontwikkeltender Schalkwijk, Haarlem, final round
Aziepark
2016 Architectenselectie, Groningen, 1^st prize
NCG office
2016 Architectenselectie, Amsterdam, 1^st prize
Joolz office
2015 Architectenselectie, Amsterdam, 1^st prize
Clink Noord
2014 Ontwikkeltender Watergraafsmeer, Amsterdam, 1^st prize
Zaaiersweg apartments
2014 Architectenselectie, Amsterdam, 1^st prize
Sid Lee office

Jury member

2021 Architectenweb Awards
2018 BNA Gebouw van het Jaar

Teaching

Academie van Bouwkunst, Amsterdam
Rotterdamse Academie van Bouwkunst, Rotterdam
Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture, Delft
Koninklijke Academie van Beeldende Kunsten, Den Haag
Fontys Academie voor Architectuur en Stedenbouw, Tilburg

Selected publications

2024 May DETAIL magazine, AB House
2024 June BRICK 24, BD House
2023 December DETAIL magazine, Het Platform
2023 May Yearbook Architectuur in the Netherlands 2022-2023, BD House & Wisselspoor
2020 April Bauen in Stahl Steeldoc, Radikal schonend, Het Platform
2020 August Bouwen met staal magazine, Een typologische cross-over, Het Platform
2020 September Yearbook Architectuur in the Netherlands 2019-2020, Het Platform
2020 May mrisse Zeitschrift fur Baukultur (DE), Zusammengefasst, Het Platform
2020 May Bauwelt (DE), Ontwikkeling, Het Platform de Architect, Start-up Space Encounters
2019 September de Architect, ARC19 Awards, Synchroon Office
2019 April Domus magazine (IT), Space Encounters creates temporary museum of Dutch creativity, The Museum
2018 December de Architect, Cover photo, Transito
2018 November D, Gezond bouwen wordt de number one thing, Joost Baks
2018 June FD Magazine, De Kantoortuin, JOOLZ Office
2018 April Dude, dutch design magazine, Rebel Bar, Transito
2017 November de Architect, ARC17 Awards, Sony Music Office
2017 September de Architect, Start-up Space Encounters
2017 September Monocle, Youthfull exuberance, JOOLZ Office
2017 July FRAME Magazine, Space Encounters implants the green office trend into a former factory, Joolz Office
2017 April Yearbook Architectuur in the Netherlands 2016-2017, JOOLZ Office
2017 April de Volkskrant, Space Encounters wint eerste Next Step Award
2017 February Architectenweb Magazine, Inside-out, JOOLZ Office
2016 November de Architect, ARC16 Awards, JOOLZ Office
2016 October Dutch Design Today, Boring Collection
2016 April Corriere Della Sera, Cover photo, Boring Collection in Milano
2014 January de Volkskrant, Delicaat doosje, Rebel House
2013 July Wallpaper* Magazine, Architects Directory, SH House
2013 February MARK Magazine, Sharpens the rear, SH House
2012 November A10 new European architecture, Delicatessen kit, Dames Dietz
2012 August Architectuur NL magazine, Dames Dietz
2012 March Industrieel Bouwen met Hout, Dames Dietz