Ronald has been working at cepezed for over 25 years and forms the management team together with Paddy Sieuwerts. He is also professor of Heritage & Design at Delft University of Technology (Heritage & Architecture section, Faculty of Architecture & Built Environment).
Throughout Ronald's career, innovation, sustainability, integrated design and professionalisation of construction have been at the forefront. He regularly gives guest lectures and presentations at national and international universities and symposia. Through his columns for Cobouw, his work on juries and as a board member of the BNA, he has also contributed to the debate on the quality of the built environment and the role of the construction industry in climate change mitigation.
'Transformation and renovation should not only be the starting point for protected heritage', says Ronald, 'but also for the bulk of buildings from the 1990s and 2000s.' He sees complex design assignments as an appealing challenge and is investigating – hands-on – the various ways in which cepezed can use wood instead of steel in its kit or parts architecture. His investigative approach has resulted in projects such as the demountable temporary court in Amsterdam, the low-emission care centre for PI Haaglanden and the fully circular pavilion The Green House in Utrecht.
‘We are more than an architectural firm,’ says Ronald about cepezed. ‘We train, take on technical challenges and use the latest software. Our view of the profession is broadening because the context of collaboration partners, regulations and environmental issues is becoming increasingly complex. More than ever, the bureaucratic culture is focused on collaboration and co-creation, which also challenges me to take another step forward.’
