Office

Woonwerk works on projects for living in all its aspects. We work on comfortable homes and sustainable buildings, on an attractive neighborhood and a healthy living environment. We work on strategic projects that contribute to a caring society where the resident or user is at the centre of the attention. Through research and design, we develop context-driven solutions and strategies for the existing city, aiming to improve the quality of everyday life.

Our approach is always based in the local context. Not only the spatial conditions of a place, but also its social, cultural and economic realities shape the design. Through research by design and by working across different scales, we look for opportunities in places where at first sight there seem to be only limitations.

Our approach is rooted in dialogue. We believe architecture becomes meaningful through dialogue and should mean something to the people who use it. By encouraging conversation between the people and parties involved in a project, we seek to understand the needs, concerns and everyday realities of those who will live in and use these places. We therefore work closely with residents, clients, neighbours and other stakeholders throughout the design process. Generic concepts or standard typologies are never applied directly; they evolve and transform in response to the specific context. This results in an intensive design process in which communication, collaboration and shared ambition are essential to the success.

In doing so, our work aims to connect people, place and society, contributing to a more caring and sustainable future by translating all stakeholders’ insights into architecture and design.

Woonwerk was founded through the collaboration between Johan De Wachter and Rik De Vooght, who initially each led their own practices: JDWA and RDVA. Driven by a shared interest in the existing city and the societal role of architecture, they decided to join forces. In 2011, this collaboration was formalised with the founding of 2DVW. Within this practice, they developed a design approach in which research and design are inseparably linked, and where the complexity of the city is approached as an opportunity rather than a limitation.

In 2022, Evelien van Veen joined the office. Through her previous practices (Drost + Van Veen Architecten and Van Veen Architecten), she brought a strong expertise at the intersection of architecture, care and wellbeing. Her work focuses on how the built environment can contribute to health and wellbeing. Her arrival not only strengthened the team, but also sharpened the intellectual direction of the practice.

In 2023, the office was renamed Woonwerk. This change of name marks a clear positioning: a practice focused on living in its broadest sense. Together, Johan, Rik and Evelien have defined housing, wellbeing and care as the central themes of their work and ambition. These themes are not approached as separate tasks, but as closely interrelated questions that require an integrated and context-driven approach.

Within the practice, each partner brings a distinct expertise and field of interest, together shaping the breadth and depth of the work. Johan focuses in particular on collective housing and urban design, exploring how spatial structures can foster interaction, social cohesion and a strong relationship with the city. Rik focuses on industrialised housing and off-site construction, with an emphasis on efficiency, feasibility and the role of innovation in delivering affordable and sustainable housing. Evelien contributes her expertise in care and wellbeing, investigating how architecture can support a more caring society.

These complementary perspectives come together in a design approach defined by research, dialogue and collaboration. Woonwerk operates from the belief that meaningful architecture emerges in relation to its context — not only the physical conditions of a place, but also its social, cultural and economic realities. By working closely with clients, residents and other stakeholders, projects are developed that are rooted in their context and meaningful to the people who use them.

Today, Woonwerk is a committed and growing team of architects and designers, working from offices in Rotterdam and Antwerp on a wide range of complex projects within the existing city. Across all projects, one ambition remains central: to design living environments that enhance the quality of everyday life and contribute to a more caring, inclusive and sustainable society.