Francesco Veenstra

Francesco Veenstra has been the Royal Architect since September 1, 2021, and as such, he is the chair of the College of National Advisors. He oversees and promotes the architectural and urban planning quality of national projects. Key focus areas also include divestment and redevelopment of national real estate.

Together with the National Advisors for the Physical Living Environment, Jannemarie de Jonge and Wouter Veldhuis, the Royal Architect also advises the government, both solicited and unsolicited, on issues of spatial quality. He also plays an important role in driving the professional discourse.

Francesco Veenstra (1973) has been a partner at Vakwerk Architecten in Delft since 2017. Prior to that, he worked at Mecanoo, where he was co-owner from 2007 to 2017. During this period, he worked on many societal projects such as the Library of Birmingham, City Hall and station hall in Delft, Kaap Skil on Texel, and the cultural complex Home in Manchester. Francesco Veenstra has extensive experience in projects for cultural organizations, higher education, commercial real estate, and infrastructure. He trained at the Rotterdam Academy of Architecture. Until July of this year, he was the chairman of the Dutch Architects' Association (BNA).