Berend van der Lans

Berend van der Lans (1966) has been working as an architect in Europe and Africa since 1992. In 2001, he co-founded the ArchiAfrika Foundation, aiming to put African architecture and urbanism on the world map by making knowledge available, connecting people and enhancing the architectural debate on the continent. Berend facilitated the transformation of the foundation to an international organisation with – since 2012 - its base in Accra, Ghana.

In 2010, Berend and Antoni Folkers started African Architecture Matters, a non-profit consultancy working with the African built environment in the fields of heritage, planning, research and education. Berend has been director between 2010 and 2022, has been involved in many of the projects and is still involved as an associate.  

Since 2012 he is involved in the implementation of inclusive urban development in Zanzibar, the development of housing strategies in historic urban areas on the island and in the establishment of Hifadhi Zanzibar, a private and locally financed company for heritage management, modelled after Stadsherstel Amsterdam NV. As an architect he is leading ArchitecturePlus since 2008, an office that has been involved in conversions of a variety of municipal and state monuments, but also active public space and new built, mostly in the Netherlands. On a regular basis he is teaching and examining at several architecture schools in the Netherlands and abroad.

Keywords: architecture, urban planning, tangible and intangible heritage.