Your top 3 influences.
It’s all about people. My family and friends, my colleagues and my clients.

The moment you knew you wanted to be a designer.
I’m a designer of change. Throughout my years of studying and working I realised more and more that people can achieve amazing things but that many of us are hindered by our own working routines and how we think about work. I like to challenge all of that.

Favourite local landmark/building.
A new way of working is not about buildings. But I like buildings with history and character like the royal naval house in Sydney and converted warehouses like in Surry Hills.

Favourite material.
Glass. As it can separate spaces but keeps it all transparent.

Favourite international landmark/building.
Taj Mahal. It took me two hours staring at it before I appreciated it. That’s it’s power.

Biggest career moment.
Deciding to come out to Australia and to setup Veldhoen + Company Australia.

Dream project to work on (real or imaginary).
Where people are totally inspired and truly open minded to the potential consequence that they might do things completely differently after the project because it is life changing to them.

Dream person to collaborate with.
Marina my partner. Raising two little girls is a lot of fun but also requires great collaboration.

Favourite decade of design.
I haven’t studied architecture or design and don’t know much about it. But I guess it would be the baroque style and “The Style” era in the Netherlands with protagonists like Gerrit Rietveld and painter Piet Mondriaan. As you can see, very different styles.

Favourite chair.
Pretty much any chair can be good for different activities and/or moods.

#1 concern for the design industry in the coming decade.
Not enough focus on working in the public space and too much on designing the office or the home, the way we live and work needs to be regarded holistically.

Which items in the workplace can you not live without?
My Macbook and iPhone.

 The most unusual/interesting thing about the way you work.
Difficult one. Maybe that I always wear coloured socks, as I like to stand out of the black dress code.

Veldhoen + Company

veldhoen.nl