The 19th century was all about machines, the 20th century was engaged with applied technology, now the 21st century is here and we envision that it will be about our recalibration with Nature. Achieving a better understanding and balance of our ecology will be the biggest task for the inventors and designers in the time of rapid expansion of population in our technocratic world. This is the goal we set out to reach through our designs. Nurture, incorporate and balance our ecology in the city and the landscape is what we see as our mission and responsibility.
We are a multidisciplinary team of landscapers, urban designers, city strategists and engineers that built up to fill the vacated crack between planning and architecture. Being educated in pluralism of the built environment we practice interdisciplinary design with focus on ecological sensibility and sustainability.
Our designs envision opportunities for city and landscape improval on all planning scales through all stages of development, from large outdoor landscapes to city masterplans and cozy small-scale spaces. Through the concept stage and developing the typology to detailed projects, materials and botanics to the very realisation and maintenance.
To provide top quality products to our clients we have partnered up with experts beyond the field of design. Cost calculation, structural engineering, interior botanics, real estate agents, botanical expertise, business management support, project development, interior architecture are all part of our daily network.
The studio name LapLab is an aggregation between the founders last name and the abbreviation from the word “laboratory”. The latter originates from the latin “laborare” which stands for ‘work’, alias ‘labor’, which stands for ‘effort’. To work with effort, to allow the experiment, to obtain experiences and keep on researching through design, thats what’s in the name and what we stand for every day.
The word “ecology” means more to us than nature - its flora and fauna and city. Ecology is the way we live together, it deals with the growth of populations and species in an ecosystem and how resources in that ecosystem are used by organisms within it. The greek word “oikos” originates from the greek word meaning “household”, it is the root of the words “ecology” and “economy”. Understanding economics and ecology through ‘Oikos’ of the project is to find balance in a small part of our larger cosmos.
Ecology – the study of the living
Economy – the management of the household
Ecosystem – the system of houses & living = the city
“Imagine this design assignment. Design something that makes oxygen, sequesters carbon, fixes nitrogen, distills water, accrues solar energy to make fuel, makes complex sugars and food, creates microclimates, changes colour with the seasons and self replicates.”
-William McDonough, Cradle to Cradle Design, on trees in his TED talk 2005
All the climate or population related problems in the world are growing fast and seem irreversible, but - good news!- there is a solution. Trees keep it and we are here to use them.
Project by project we learn more about trees and how to benefit from them. They gratefully stand up for us to block harsh winter winds, give delicious fruit in late summer days, soften the hard urban environment and fulfil many more challenging missions like filtering dust particles, eating CO2, producing oxygen, nuturing animals and insects, creating wood for building, colouring the city, creating sunlight screening canopies. Not to mention their exclusive spatial qualities that bring pure delight to us! All this can not be ignored…
Sander graduated from the Academy of Architecture Rotterdam, where he won the Archiprix international 2009-2010. After another win of Europan, Sander founded LAP Landscape & Urban Design. With more than 20 years of experience in landscape integration in urban planning. Working within his company as urban planner and landscape architect. Is a consultant in the field of real estate and development strategy. Also working as a guest teacher and supervisor
Marieke graduated from TU Delft in Architecture, specializing in transformation assignments. Has worked as an architect and project manager at LAP Landscape & Urban Design since 2012, making the connection between landscape, urban design and architecture. Has been a partner of the company since 2017.
Paola Carassai, Italy
Ida Stople, Norway
Agnieszka Zborowska, Poland
Camilla Migliori, Italy
Katarzyna Nowak, Poland
Chris van Nimwegen, Netherlands
SSS Joe Platt, England
Qianyun Liu, China
Irina Hotkevica, Latvia
Sven Tuit, Netherlands
Ekaterina Timina, Russia
Fei Chen, China
Bram van Ooijen, Netherlands
Lin Wei, China
Pui Lun Tam, Netherlands
Shengjie Zhan, China
Melinda Marján, Hungary
Barend Mense, Netherlands
Carlotta Vollmar, Germany
Irina Vaganova, Russia
Maria Kritsioudi, Greece
Eirini Trachana, Greece
Consuelo Martinez, Spain
Robin Besems, Netherlands
Maria Torelli, Italy
Christine Aglot, Canada
Christian Rommelse, Netherlands
Nikos Spyrou, Greece
Theo Ellina, Cyprus
Julita Borys, Poland
Hugo Lopez, Brazil
Guus de Clercq, Netherlands
Matthijs Buysse, Netherlands
Naya Tzika-Kostopoulou, Greece
Katarzyna Kamerska, Poland
Moreno Schipper, Netherlands
Pim van Adrichem, Netherlands
Thijs van Tilborg, Netherlands
Andreia Duarte, Portugal
Zuzanna Sekula, Poland
Guus De Clerq, Netherlands
Daan de Wit, Netherlands
Frances van Beelen, Netherlands
Francesca Monti, Italy
Luana Scandurra, Italy
Doarsa Tushi, North Macedonia
Martina Simoni, Italy