With Mecanoo since 1984
Professional qualifications MSc in Architecture/Urban Planner, Delft University of Technology
Memberships Board Member Society of Arts, Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences,
Amsterdam (2015-present); Member International Council Van Alen Institute, New York
(2015-present); Member Akademie der Künste, Department of Architecture, Berlin (2010-
present); Board Member Carnegie Foundation, The Hague (2008-present); Supervisory Board
Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo (2005-present)
Francine Houben founded Mecanoo in 1984. She has since led the firm to success in
The Netherlands and abroad, amassing a portfolio of work that is wide-ranging, inspired by
global challenges and with a sustainable view on society. Mecanoo combines the disciplines of
architecture, urban planning, interior design and landscape architecture to produce
unorthodox design solutions born from a strong sensitivity to context and a highly
interdisciplinary design process. Each of her projects illustrates the three fundamental
elements of her architectural vision: People, Place, Purpose. She interweaves social, technical,
playful and humane aspects together to form a unique solution to each assignment.
Francine maintains an active presence in academia and culture, regularly publishing and giving
lectures worldwide. She has performed in many academic and professional capacities
throughout her career, including Chair of Architecture and Aesthetics of Mobility at Delft
University of Technology, visiting professor at Harvard Graduate School of Design, and as
director of the First International Architecture Biennale in Rotterdam. Francine has received
honorary fellowships from the Royal Institute of British Architects, the American Institute of
Architects and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada . In 2014 Francine was named
Woman Architect of the Year by the Architects’ Journal and in November 2015 Queen Máxima
of The Netherlands presented Francine with the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Prize for her
wide-ranging career. Francine was awarded Honorary Doctorates from the Université de Mons,
Belgium (2017) and the Utrecht University (2016).