Roberto Meyer, architect
Roberto E. Meyer, born in Bogotá, Colombia in 1959, is the lead architect and executive director of MVSA Architects. In 1984, after studying at the School of Architecture of Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, he was co-founder of MVSA Architects. Roberto Meyer originally studied architecture at the Academy of Architecture. In 1990 he was awarded the silver Prix de Rome.
Meyer is a gifted designer and architect, whose designs demonstrate his sensitivity to context, openness to innovative techniques and keen eye for detail. His work is also characterised by a healthy degree of pragmatism and entrepreneurship. Roberto Meyer has been a board member of the Dutch Council on Tall Buildings since 2006, and chairman of the board of the Amsterdam ArtZuid Foundation since 2009. He gives lectures and master classes at symposiums, universities and training courses worldwide.
The office
MVSA Architects, founded in 1984, is an international office that strives for innovation in design, approach and implementation. With its renowned designs, characterised by elegant pragmatism, transparent construction and technological ingenuity, MVSA has made its mark on the international architecture landscape.
Since the 1990s MVSA’s portfolio has grown considerably, in both range and scope. Our agency’s work currently includes residential projects, offices, infrastructural projects, hotels, university buildings and hospitals.
Large-scale projects, such as high-rise and high-volume structures, are playing an increasingly dominant role in the agency’s repertoire. For ING House (2002), the visually striking, futuristic head office of the ING bank in Amsterdam, MVSA received the Netherlands Building Award, the European Award for Steel Structures and other awards. Among more recent highlights in the MVSA repertoire are New Babylon in The Hague and Rotterdam Central Station (in partnership with Team CS).
MVSA Architects approaches the design process from the starting point of the full breadth of the commission. Functionality, user comfort and feasibility all form a part of the architect’s responsibility. The design, technical process and choice of materials are therefore constantly attuned to practical and financial possibilities and limitations.
The quality of public space is always a key concern, and sustainability means much more to us than a routine brief to work energy-efficiently and with a minimal environmental footprint. MVSA creates buildings that can respond to shifting user demands and stand the test of time.
In addition to its head office in Amsterdam MVSA Architects also has an office in Switzerland.
Design approach
MVSA Architects combines entrepreneurship and dynamism with inventiveness and originality. Our approach to architecture is always solution-oriented, and takes every possible opportunity for innovation. MVSA’s designs are distinguished by their structural transparency, technological ingenuity and inspired use of materials. Our specialists keep close track of developments in the construction world, and make use of the latest insights from related disciplines such as vehicle and aviation design.
For MVSA Architects, a good building is a sustainable, durable and comfortable building. That is why we attach equal importance to both aesthetic and functional quality: from the overall design to the smallest details of exterior and interior finishing.
Wide-ranging consultations on location, (corporate) culture and the layout of public space are also key issues for MVSA. So we follow an integrated approach that facilitates optimum interaction between designers, clients, users, technicians, contractors and financiers. After all, many decisions are made in the formation of a design. We explore these choices in dialogue, so that their consequences are clarified from the very start, and throughout the process.
MVSA’s viewpoint on integral sustainability
Sustainability forms an integral component of MVSA’s philosophy. Sustainability concerns much more than energy, materials and waste. The relationship between a building and its surroundings, flexibility of use and the reuse of vacant and neglected buildings are also issues that have rightly gained a more prominent position. This does not make the development process any easier. MVSA sees a key role for itself here: the supervision and management of the integral design processes. A good basis for a sustainable building is already created with the first conceptual sketches. What is the building’s orientation? How can the building and its surroundings strengthen one another? Our office can call on its extensive experience in sustainable construction. The vision of sustainability will continue to develop, with MVSA in the vanguard. And there’s a simple reason for this: MVSA is convinced that sustainable buildings provide enormous added value for both their users and their surroundings.
Selected Awards
1990
Prix de Rome 1990, silver
2000
Merkelbachprijs Amsterdam (for GWL site
housing)
2002
National Steel Prize 2002
Nomination Mies van der Rohe Award 2003
Architecture & Technology Award – special
commendation
Netherlands Glass Award 2002
2003
Dutch Construction Prize 2003
Dutch Aluminium Award, Architecture 2003
European Award for Steel Structures 2003
2004
NSVV Light Award for Shoebaloo
2005
Red Dot Design Award for Ahrend 1200
2007
Dutch Construction Prize 2007 – Public
Choice Award
2008
BNA Building of the Year 2008 North-
West/Centre region for La Grande Cour,
Westerdokseiland, Amsterdam
2008
La Grande Cour, Zuiderkerk Prize, finalist
Renovation Ministry of Finance, nominated
for Mies van der Rohe Award 2009
2009
BNA Building of the Year 2009 Delta Region,
for renovation of Ministry of Finance,
The Hague
2010
BNA Building of the Year 2010 Delta
Region for W. van der Zwan & Zn. office in
Scheveningen
Architecture Award Almere – The New Library Almere
Library of the Year – The New Library Almere
2011
Dutch PPP Award 1st prize over all –
Renovation Ministry of Finance
Dutch PPP Award, best technical team –
1st prize – Kromhout Barracks.
Concrete Award 2011 – category constructions in water works for Lock 124 IJburg, Amsterdam (in collaboration with IBA)
2012
International High-rise Award 2012 – New Babylon
BNA Building of the year 2012 – nominee for Region North-West/Center – Kromhout Barracks, Utrecht
Conservatorium Hotel – Winner Gulden Feniks (Golden Phoenix) 2012, category Transformation
2013
Nomination for Hilversum Architecture Award 2011-2012, for the Traverse Hilversum
Nomination for Leidse Architectuurprijs 2013, Level Leiden
Shortlist Rietveld Architectuur Award 2013, PPS Kromhout Kazerne
Finalist Euro-region for CTBUH Highrise Award 2013, New Babylon
2014
MIPIM Award 2014 Finalist category ‘Best Refurbished Building’ – New Babylon
Gulden Feniks (Golden Phoenix) – Category Area Transformation – Rotterdam Centraal, as part of the Rotterdam Central District: winner 1st prize
StiB Award 2014 (Cities in Motion) – Rotterdam Centraal, as part of the Rotterdam Central District: winner 1st prize
Rotterdam Centraal station, Rotterdam – Nominated as finalist for the following awards: Wood Architecture Award, Daylight Award 2014, Dutch Design Award, category Habitat