Architecture

Four protected titles

The professional titles of architect, urban planner, interior architect and garden and landscape architect have been protected by the Architects' Title Act (WAT) since 1988. The Architects' Register implements the law and manages the official registration of architects. By setting educational requirements upon registration in the register - and also in the period after registration - the professional competence of spatial designers in the register is monitored. Since 2015, in addition to a master's degree in one of the four disciplines, successfully completing the Professional Experience Period (BEP) has also been a condition for registration in the register. During the Professional Experience Period, graduated master's students gain work experience in the chosen discipline over a period of two years.. The introduction of the BEP was intended to bridge the gap between education and professional practice. 

Development of the field of work

The labor market of the architectural sector was characterized – as a result of the financial crisis of 2008 – by shrinkage and far-reaching fragmentation: a years-long decline in the number of jobs at architectural firms, coupled with a strong increase in the number of self-employed entrepreneurs without staff (CRa 2021). The vulnerability of self-employed architects, both in economic terms and in terms of innovative capacity, led to a shift in the (power) relations within the construction chain and the way in which competition takes place in the market (Koetsenruijter 2018, CRa 2020). 

Parties in the field

Within each of the disciplines within spatial design, a trade or professional association is active: the Dutch Association of Architectural Firms (BNA), the Dutch Association of Urban Planners and Planners (BNSP), the Dutch Association of Interior Architects (BNI) and the Dutch Association for Garden and Landscape Architecture (NVTL). These associations work together within the framework of Platform Design NL to put the importance of design and design research on the agenda and to promote discussion about the spatial quality of the Netherlands.

Turnover and diversity of working methods 

Based on a survey among BNA members, the trade association estimates the total turnover of architectural firms at 1.055 million euros in 2022 (Panteia 2023). This is based on an average turnover per firm of 502.000 euros per year. The largest part of the turnover came from residential construction (48 percent), followed by assignments for offices (12 percent), healthcare (9 percent) and other projects (9 percent). Larger firms show a more varied portfolio of assignments, while smaller firms mainly focus on residential construction assignments. 

Tender culture, designer freedom and alternative commissioning

One of the goals of tenders is to stimulate competition between design agencies and to give parties an equal chance to acquire assignments. In addition, the client can get a competitive price through this selection process. There are design agencies that successfully realize assignments in this way, but there is also criticism from the sector (Hannema 2023, Teerds 2024, Architectuur Lokaal 2015). This primarily concerns the formulation of the design assignment; consultancy firms are often involved, but not always a spatial expert. This complicates the pursuit of spatial quality, also when assessing the submissions; the assessment committee usually does not include a designer (Schaatsbergen 2025).  

The regulations for tenders do not allow changes to the assignment description. If designers see an opportunity to achieve extra quality by reformulating the assignment, they are still disqualified. As a result, overly strict descriptions of the assignment lead to a restriction of creativity (Thomas 2024b). 

Another point of criticism concerns the compensation for tenders. These are (too) low, and are not in proportion to the requested investments that can be obtained from them (CRa 2020). BNA board member Jan Peter Wingender calculated in 2024 that an average tendered design assignment in the Netherlands costs around 160.000 euros, and a design agency quickly spends 40.000 euros on a submission (Architectenweb 2024). After an initial selection round, five agencies compete; one wins the assignment, four keep the costs incurred on their balance sheet. This can lead to financially unhealthy business operations, and prevents agencies from participating in tenders (CRa 2020).

There is a big difference between small and large design agencies in the extent to which they participate in selection procedures for design assignments (Koetsenruijter 2018, Panteia 2023). This is due to the tender culture, which generally imposes strict requirements regarding references and turnover. A designer must have previously designed a certain type of building in order to be eligible for the assignment. This gives rise to specialized agencies that consistently win certain assignments, and smaller agencies are excluded. This means that starting agencies in particular do not get a chance to enter the market through tenders.  

In 1993, the Stichting Architectuur Lokaal was established to stimulate good clientship, by providing information to clients and helping to organize design competitions (Architectuur Lokaal 2019, Schipper 2023). Because the foundation ceased operations in 2023, a gap has arisen. The College van Rijkadviseurs wants to follow the example of the Flemish Open Call organize a pilot project and launch an architects index for which firms from all design disciplines with an interest in public contracts are invited to register. For modest government contracts This index can be used to make a good match between design agencies and clients (CRa 2025). 

The Open Call aims to equalise opportunities for design agencies with different levels of experience and to place the quality of the design at the centre between clients and designers. There are also examples of Open Calls in the Netherlands. For example, the Stimulation Fund allows small agencies (up to 5 employees) to join forces to increase the chances of larger assignments. In 2024, an open call was issued for – self-initiated – projects, in which agencies collaborate on a subject. In this way, 10 collaborations were supported (Stimulation Fund 2025).  

Stichting Mevrouw Meijer, founded in 2009, supports clients in the education sector in the renovation of school buildings, with design research. For this, designers are asked who have not built a school before. In this way, inexperienced and/or starting agencies - with a fresh perspective on school construction - are given the opportunity to enter the school construction market (Hannema 2024)​.

Social value of spatial design and importance of recognition

The major challenges facing the Netherlands – housing, nitrogen problems, climate adaptation, soil quality – are directly related to the design of the – scarce – space, and make great demands on the expertise of designers. At the same time, the accumulation of spatial issues puts increasing pressure on designers; they must find combined solutions and make more of an effort to monitor environmental quality.

In order to solve spatial issues with a view to the long term, the College of Government Advisors (CRa) has developed the program Future workshopNL2100 started. Design and design research are used to map out possible future scenarios and the factors that influence them. The CRa does this together with a broad selection of experts and stakeholders. With the Spatial Design Action Programme 2021-2024 'Design connects', the CRa focuses on strengthening the skills that clients and designers need to develop in order to use spatial design even more effectively (Stimulation Fund 2021). According to research by the Design Innovation Group (Design Innovation Group 2022), design research should become a permanent part of the design assignment. In addition, there should be a learning programme for clients, more knowledge sharing and extra attention for reflection within the design process. 

There are many differences in the way local government shapes design tasks. Firstly, because the nature of the task differs per municipality: from densification and greening in cities to the sustainability of agriculture in rural areas and the reinforcement task in the Groningen earthquake area. Secondly, because municipalities set different requirements with regard to sustainability, architectural quality and construction costs. Political choices and personal commitment of administrators, project leaders and city/village architects play an important role in this.  

In a position paper to the House of Representatives, BNA chairman Jeroen de Willigen advocates giving every city a city architect (BNA 2024). This architect can oversee the various spatial developments and monitor the integral quality. For this reason, the municipality of Groningen appointed architect Dianne Maas as Reinforcement Architect in 2021, in addition to the city architect, who focuses on tasks in the reinforcement area (within the municipality of Groningen). In 2023, National Coordinator Groningen (NCG) appointed Enno Zuidema as regional architect. 

Although the Netherlands is facing major spatial issues, designers are not automatically involved; their added value is not evident to all clients. More knowledge about the work of designers is important for this. The appreciation for design is latent; everyone encounters design in their direct living environment, many people appreciate their home, neighborhood and city (Platform Ontwerp NL 2024). During the corona period, there was extra attention and appreciation for the quality of living and working. But few realize that designers are involved in this.  

Even when it comes to demolishing buildings, the architectural value is often not (re)cognized. By making people aware of this and involving them in their direct environment, more appreciation for the work of designers can arise. An example is the brochure that Stichting Mevrouw Meijer made together with heritage association Heemschut, about demolished post-war schools. A challenge for the design sector is to make it clear to people outside the industry – without resorting to jargon – what it does, and how that is important for the everyday living environment. Events such as open monument days offer the opportunity to inform and enthuse laymen. This is also important for the preservation of young heritage (built after 1965). Many of these buildings are threatened with demolition, partly because there is limited appreciation for them.  

Due to urban densification and the sustainability of neighbourhoods, residents are more often confronted with construction projects in their immediate vicinity. This regularly provokes resistance, which delays or obstructs projects. By involving residents in the planning process – at an early stage – joint support can be created. This also offers the opportunity to use the knowledge, skills and stories of residents in the design. The environmental code which was introduced in 2024, appoints participation as a fixed component of construction projects by government organizations. This also requires extra efforts from spatial designers, both in communicating with citizens and in combining different wishes and interests in the design.

A more sustainable living environment

When making the living environment more sustainable, regulations such as MPG (Environmental Performance of Buildings) and BENG (Nearly Energy Neutral Buildings) a crucial role; this forces construction parties to take measurable measures in the field of sustainability. Although the rules are increasingly tightened, research shows that with the current calculation methods the climate objectives from the Paris climate agreement of 2015 will not be achieved (Copper8, NIBE, Metabolic & Alba Concepts 2024). This is partly because the calculations look at the CO²-emissions during the use phase of the building, while the CO² released during the production of building materials is not taken into account. There is still much work to be done for government and clients to set stricter requirements in this area in contracts.  

Partly because the material-related CO2 emissions are now not or hardly included in sustainability calculations, demolition-new construction is emerging as a more sustainable option than renovation. However, the demolition of buildings also costs energy, and a lot of fine dust, waste and CO² at free. Partly due to research by architectural firms into Carbon-based design, awareness of this is growing (Raaij 2023). The Mrs. Meijer Foundation, which wrote the book 'Beter dan Sloop' (2025) commissioned by the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (Mrs. Meijer Foundation 2024), also plays a role in this development. The book shows how choosing reuse over demolition can make a major contribution to reducing CO2 emissions from construction. It also includes a calculation method to compare demolition-new construction with renovation, in which material-related CO2 is taken into account. Using example projects, it is shown that renovation leads to both lower CO2 emissions and lower construction costs. 

The international HouseEurope Foundation!, founded by an international group of architects, is campaigning for new EU legislation that will require builders to include material-related CO2 emissions in sustainability calculations and will reduce VAT on renovation and reused materials.   

Changing role of spatial designers

From the establishment of housing cooperatives to the sustainability of agriculture, from healthcare issues to climate adaptation; the role that spatial designers take on in solving social issues is becoming increasingly broad. As a result, the need for knowledge outside their own expertise is growing, including in the field of ecology, sociology and geriatrics. For example, designing homes for elderly people with dementia requires insight into their living environment; think of the use of colours and daylight in recognising places and routes. When greening cities, opportunities for biodiversity are increasingly being considered; this requires specific knowledge of plant and animal species.  

Young designers in particular are increasingly seeking collaboration with people from other disciplines for this reason (CRa & Architectenregister 2025). The number of participation processes in which designers collaborate with local residents is also growing. As a result, the role of the spatial designer is becoming more important, also as a link between parties. 

This changing professional practice also requires other skills that designers must master. In that light, the Architects Register is having the final terms of the Professional Experience Period (BEP) evaluated and recalibrated between 2025 and 2026 (Architects Register 2024).  

The BEP was initially aimed primarily at architects; the programme still requires better coordination with urban planners and landscape architects, and with the integrated approach that is often needed in spatial assignments today. Current practice also requires additional requirements in the field of sustainability, such as knowledge in the field of reuse, biodiversity and biobased construction. Young designers who are socially engaged need to be better equipped to deal with administrative practice (CRa & Architectenregister 2025). These are not only points of attention in the recalibration of BEP, but also in the revision of the curricula of the design courses. 

Design education is an important source of innovations, for example in the field of sustainability, digitalisation, 3D printing technology and social design. However, the knowledge that graduate designers bring to practice cannot always be applied at design agencies, which often use a certain way of working and cannot easily change this. Moreover, there are sometimes no regulations for new materials and construction products, which makes clients hesitant to apply them. Construction is considered a conservative sector, in which processes are often aimed at avoiding risks, with preference given to experienced agencies and proven methods (Koetsenruijter 2018).  

Universities have launched various initiatives to develop knowledge and technologies together with construction companies, which can then apply these in practice (CRa & Architectenregister 2025). The Creative Industries Fund NL wants to stimulate knowledge sharing between agencies and between the projects resulting from the call, with an open call for starting makers/designers. A platform is also offered to these designers, so that potential clients can find them and the results can be shared more widely.  

Since 2009, designers in the Architects Register have been subject to a legal obligation to undergo further and additional training. The primary objective is to maintain and/or strengthen and expand knowledge, skills and insight. This programme for further and additional training is also due for revision (Architects Register 2024). The quality of the educational provision can be improved and should be more in line with the needs of existing practice; no substantive requirements are currently set. In addition, additional information is being provided about the importance of further training for architects. The law does not provide for checks or sanctions, but designers are obliged to inform clients about relevant expertise, including further and additional training, when submitting a quotation. 

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and parametric design tools are playing an increasingly important role in developing spatial scenarios and designs. Research among BNA members shows that three quarters of architectural firms use BIM software, 35 percent of architects use tools to visualize designs via virtual reality and 23 percent sometimes apply parametric design tools during a project (Rutten 2021).  

Just over half of the agencies work with AI, mainly to generate visual impressions and spatial solutions in a short time, in line with boundary conditions such as sunlight, building heights and noise pollution (Windesheim University of Applied Sciences 2025). AI can simplify parts of the work of designers and save time, which can be spent on creative processes. Research is also being conducted into possibilities to implement 'soft' values ​​such as space for meeting in projects with AI (Muis 2024). Because these values ​​are difficult to quantify, this has proven difficult for the time being.

Working conditions and increasing pressure

The broadening of the knowledge requirement and responsibility of spatial designers within construction projects means that more is expected of them. As a result, and because the margins in the design sector are small, they experience pressure more often. Typically, more work is put into design competitions than is paid for. Complaints about this are regularly reported to the BNA, which has had a Tender Desk and a Legal Desk since 2025 (BNA 2025).  

Research by the Atelier Rijksbouwmeester shows that in recent years, people have been working more in all spatial disciplines (CRa & Architectenregister 2025). Young designers indicate that they experience the current working culture and conditions as poor. They point to the hierarchical structures in the sector, the high workload and an imbalance between long working days and salary. The hourly rates are set in a generally applicable collective labor agreement for the architectural sector, which means that agencies cannot directly compete with each other on labor costs. However, design agencies regularly work with unpaid interns and recent graduates who work under an internship contract.  

Netherlands Angry Architects (NAA!) is a platform that, in collaboration with FNV, aims to improve working conditions in the sector and help designers gain more control over architecture, construction and the design industry (Alkemade 2023). In 2024, the Stichting Fonds Architectenbureaus organised the congress Architect of your own work, about the problem of increasing work pressure. It emerged that both clients and design agencies should make efforts to alleviate this.  

Diversity among workers and working conditions

Cities and villages that house a diversity of people benefit from a variety of designers, who represent many voices (Boer 2021). In practice, this is not yet the case. Of all registered designers in the architects' register, only 2021 percent were women in 30 (CBS 2023). This is comparable to figures from 2018 (CBS 2019), when it was 29 percent. The share of women also remains virtually the same within the disciplines of architecture, urban planning and garden and landscape architecture (CRa & Architectenregister 2025). Among interior architects, where the share of women is already relatively large, the number of women continues to rise. Men are particularly overrepresented in the discipline of architecture. As a result, there are few female role models for the younger generation. Research among BNA members from 2022 shows that only 16 percent of the directors of affiliated architectural firms are women (BNA 2023). In this area, the Netherlands scores less well than other European countries, according to a report published by Atelier Rijksbouwmeester in 2025.