Composition, Contrast, Complexity

by Francine Houben, Mecanoo Architects, Christian Richters (Photographer)

In this book Francine Houben presents a personal account of her experiences. Text and image convey her original and authentic attitude, views and feelings about architecture. She has made a selection from her many Mecanoo projects for this publication. A home and a canal house. A garden town and a water town. A secondary school, a polytechnic and a university library. The public space of a historic city, a park and a square in a medieval city. A vision of mobility and infrastructure and an ecological new town. A hotel and an underground office. A ruin, a theatre, a decor for an opera, a museum and an exhibition. And finally a chapel in a cemetery. Each of these projects is exemplary of her vision and illustrates the three core elements of how she conceives composition, contrast and complexity.

Paperback

First published February 1, 2001

About the author

Francine Marie Jeanne Houben is a Dutch architect. She graduated with cum laude honours from the Delft University of Technology. She is the founding partner and creative director of Mecanoo architecten, based in Delft, The Netherlands, with offices in Manchester, United Kingdom, Washington, D.C., United States and Kaohsiung, Taiwan