to make

'Beautifully made!' is one of the greatest compliments we can get. Our designs are closely linked to how they are built and we make those plans with love. This pleasure and craft enriches a building and radiates throughout its surroundings.

 We like to talk to clients about materials, atmosphere and building methods at the beginning of the process. These are not details for us, because they (can) contain the essence of the building. It helps that we understand the construction systems of large contractors. We know how an installer thinks and works. We work closely with constructors. We prefer to seek contact with suppliers and producers early in the process, so that we can also base the design on the manner in which it will be made. In this way, we develop details and a logical construction method. Based on that, we can also build faster and smarter. The Volker Wessels House, for example, was built with prefab elements in just 13 months.

We are always looking for simple solutions that are feasible and affordable. That makes buildings easier to maintain and adapt. And because you can see how our buildings are made, they also become more readable and understandable for a user or passer-by. It gives buildings more character and identity, making it easier to develop appreciation and love for them. This pleasure and craft also radiates out into the environment. Think of the brickwork detailing of the Kielzog or Theater Zuidplein. We therefore often use materials such as brick and wood in our work. They are striking natural materials, which are never exactly the same.

Artisanship is not something historical or traditional. New techniques also show craft. In fact, for us 'making is the new learning'. What better way to discover or learn something than by making it or trying it out. We learn by doing. That’s because you can come up with something (new), but you only really learn how something works by applying it, by discussing it with the people who have to deal with it and by making a test piece. Making is an integral part of the design for us.

This is how we make discoveries (again and again). That improves a project. And we also apply those new insights to other projects. So as long as we keep building, De Zwarte Hond gets better every year.

>> see also timber construction