About

BURA creates sustainable urban environments

Our approach

We are an office for urbanism and landscape architecture that deploys design and research to solve complex urban problems. We put nature and urban life at the heart of our work and take collective steps towards a sustainable future. Moreover, we seek a balance between explicit solutions and feasible designs. We build on the existing city, its inhabitants and qualities. That is how we at BURA work on a sustainable urban future.

Working on our living environment can be a challenging and complicated process. At BURA, we are convinced that the careful design of the process is a vital aspect of a successful spatial plan. Listening carefully to and working together with residents, entrepreneurs and public officials is important in developing an feasible idea that enjoys support. We often work in interactive workshops and make complex material easy to understand. In addition, we use the power of imagination to inspire parties and thus to work together on a sustainable living environment.

BURA - Cast tilburg stadsgesprek 16-06-2022

A sustainable urban future is a shared creation, which is why we work with clients and on assignments that contribute to that. For example, we take a critical look at locations that, in our view, cannot be developed in a future-proof way because of their siting, ecological values or soil conditions.

BURA works on various assignments in the Netherlands and other countries for both public and private organisations and housing cooperatives. In addition, we work at various scales, ranging from urban sites to neighbourhoods, urban districts and regions. Our office has expertise in the field of complex urban developments, healthy urbanization, productive milieus, new mobility, rich and layered places, resilient landscapes and equitable transitions.

BURA believes in the importance of doing business in a sustainable and social way. In principle, we travel by public transport, our lunch is vegetarian and vegan, we deal with materials in a conscious way, and we look after one another. BURA works with a multidisciplinary team of urban designers, architects and landscape architects from its base in the Loods 6 building in Amsterdam. BURA is a member of the Association of Dutch Urban Designers and Planners (BNSP). The office evolved out of ‘marco.broekman urbanism research architecture’, founded in 2014 by Marco Broekman. The office was renamed BURA in 2020 and is directed by Marco Broekman and Floris van der Zee.

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Expertise

BURA has expertise and experience in complex urban assignments. From the built environment and public space to the living environment in the broadest sense of the term. We possess expertise in multiple fields.

A compact city is sustainable and healthy. At BURA we look beyond the housing assignment because in our view urban densification revolves around ‘enriching’ the existing city. We use space sparingly and seek a balance with other values and aspirations. Increasing density in towns and villages offers opportunities for more or better homes and places of work, and also for greening, sustainable mobility and space for social encounters. BURA works on various urban densification projects at various scales, whereby using space smartly leads to attractive, healthy and unique living environments, such as Merwede in Utrecht, the Development Perspective for the Arnhem East Railway Zone, and the Waterland district in Purmerend.

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Working areas have a sustainable and social value beside their economic function. Moreover, they are crucial for the functioning of urban regions. BURA works in various ways on places of production in the form of research, visions, innovative strategies and concrete development and redevelopment projects. We draw up visions for future-proof working environments at the scale of the city and work at area level to intensify work locations and to transform business parks into high-quality mixed-use living and working environments. BURA draws on a large network of economics experts. In this way, we work on space for knowledge, innovation and a sustainable economy. Examples include ‘Maakstad’ Schieoevers in Delft, the MetroMix study and a research called Grip on large-scale business locations.

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To make our cities healthier, more liveable and more sustainable, we must approach the issue of mobility in a radically different way. BURA designs urban environments with more space for pedestrians and cyclists, mobility hubs, new city logistics and well-functioning public transport. We plan amenities within walking distances and work on car-free neighbourhoods, attractive city streets, mobility strategies and high-quality station districts. This finds expression in such projects as Merwede in Utrecht and the preliminary study for the Leiden Central Multi-Modal Interchange.

There is a great urgency to restore biodiversity and create space for climate adaptation. At BURA we work on urban solutions in which people and nature are in balance. We see that space for nature can often be combined well with other functions. Moreover, well-connected urban landscape and greenery in the immediate surroundings contribute to physical and mental wellbeing, and they are a necessity in a densely built city. BURA works at various scales – from the neighbourhood to the region – to create resilient landscapes and high-quality urban spaces. Examples include the Zuidvleugel Landscape Park, Climate-Adaptive Heritage in Eindhoven, and the IJplein Public Space Action Plan in Amsterdam.

BURA works in the existing city and therefore builds on the history, stories and character of places. We believe that continuing to develop places and existing heritage is the best way of preserving and enhancing them. It is by cherishing the rich history and adding a contemporary new story to it that we prepare heritage for the future. We come up with sensible development strategies to make this possible. This is how we create rich and layered projects such as Hembrug in Zaandam, Arnhems Buiten, and the Werninkterrein Area Vision in Leiden.

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A just city belongs to everybody. But we see that transitions do not always take place in a balanced way due to factors such as market competition and one-sided power relations. BURA works towards structurally more sustainable and more social solutions. In addition, we think it is important that people, businesses and organisations have control of their environment and that value development accrues to the city and its inhabitants. We work to create inclusive neighbourhoods and research new forms of development, for example with the design research into the Post-Growth City and the Highrise Living project.

Services

BURA works on urban plans, spatial visions and strategies, design research and knowledge sharing. We do that with a collaborative and decisive approach – from idea to execution. Interaction between the various types of projects ensures essential innovation within our office and within the profession.

Making a good piece of the city is the central issue for BURA when we work on an urban plan. Our focus lies on making attractive and characteristic places in which to live, work and relax. We develop one integral story in which complex questions are brought together in one comprehensible design, with an eye for the spatial, financial and organisational context of the project. We are service-oriented and flexible for the client, and critical when necessary. In concrete terms, we produce urban design plans, area visions, image quality plans, building massing studies and public space designs. In addition, we supervise plans. In this way we gradually shape the city of tomorrow.

The visions and strategies of BURA bring together spatial assignments and challenges in a manageable, integral and qualitative way. We work systematically with an research-driven attitude and use interactive workshops to identify issues and develop spatial scenarios together. BURA works on regional, urban and landscape visions, densification studies, development programmes and agendas, and area development perspectives. In this way, we create appealing stories and broadly supported action perspectives that offer strong guidelines for the future.

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BURA deploys design research in order to better understand complex questions, to acquire knowledge, and to make recommendations concerning urgent themes or specific assignments and locations. The findings contribute to the development and refinement of policy and/or the creation of appropriate project conditions. We work on specific and thematic subjects in which we explore various (spatial) scenarios with an integrated view and with multiple parties. In addition, we deploy research to generate a ‘second opinion’ that offers an inspiring alternative to running area developments. We also deploy our research-driven attitude and design prowess to raise discussion about social issues from a spatial perspective.

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BURA believes in the importance of conducting discussions about the future of our living environment with an open attitude. We want to accelerate sustainable urban development and that is why we share our knowledge, visions and insights on the basis of our studies and projects. We organise lectures, masterclasses, workshops and interviews, and are active in the field of education. We possess, support and develop an extensive network. BURA inspires, provokes debate and takes concrete steps towards sustainable urban environments.

Sharing insight

Healthy and sustainable city life requires teamwork. That’s why we like to share our ideas. We are available for lectures, masterclasses, workshops and interviews. Let us know what we can do for each other by sending an email to Bien Schols at pr@bura.city.

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Presentation
Mobility versus densification

Panel Talk
Panel talk: Densification as Enrichment

Talk
Podcast inclusive high-rise

Team

BURA works with a multidisciplinary team of urban planners, architects and landscape architects. Both designers and researchers who are committed to a sustainable future for the city with a great deal of knowledge, enthusiasm and experience.

Urban planner

Bart Claassen

Bart Claassen is an urban designer with more than 10 years of experience in urban planning, design research, infrastructure, and landscape projects both domestically and internationally. Bart studied Urban Design & Planning at Eindhoven University of Technology and completed his studies in 2013 with research on heat mitigation in an urban context. During and after his studies, he worked for various design firms in the Netherlands (Urhahn Urban Design, BRO), Sweden (Kjellander+Sjöberg), and Belgium (a2o) and in 2013 he was involved as an expert in the research project "Testing Gardens for Climate-proof Cities."
Bart has been working for BURA since September 2019 as a senior urban designer/project leader on projects such as the urban development plan and spatial quality plan for Merwede in Utrecht, the spatial quality plan for Entrance in Zoetermeer, the masterplan and quality plan for the Waterlandkwartier in Purmerend, the area vision and the urban development plan for phase 1 of Rijnpark in Arnhem and the Haveland master plan in Rheden.

Bureau manager HR and Finances

Belinda van der Lingen

Belinda van der Lingen has a Masters degree in Japanese Language and Culture from the University of Leyden. She has lived and worked in various cities around the world, including London and Tokyo. Back in Amsterdam she started her career at Regus office rentals and other real estate businesses holding various management positions. Before starting at BURA Urbanism she previously worked at S333 Studio for Architecture & Urbanism. She has a great interest in architecture, design and fashion.

Office coordinator

Bien Schols

Intern

Blaž Parežnik

Architect

Christa Rinzema

Christa Rinzema studied Architecture at ETH Zürich and lives in Amsterdam since 1995. After working for fourteen years as senior architect at de Architekten Cie. on architectonical and urban planning projects like Funenpark Amsterdam, she set up her own office and became periodically guest teacher at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at TUDelft and at the Academy of Architecture in Amsterdam. Since 2021 she works as senior projectleader at BURA.

Draftswoman

Floor Thies

Floor is a draftswoman at BURA, from September in combination with the master in urban planning at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture. She graduated in spatial development from the Hanze Hogeschool in Groningen and has experience with cultural history and climate adaptation. Alongside this, she is interested in puzzling with densification, adaptation to changing climate effects and inclusivity. When she designs, she does so for everyone, including nature. She will apply this in large-scale urban planning projects where landscape plays an important role.

Urban planner, partner

Floris van der Zee

Floris van der Zee (1987) is an architect and urban designer. He became partner of BURA urbanism in 2020, after working together with Marco Broekman for multiple years. Before Floris worked for a range design offices in Belgium and the Netherlands. He graduated in both architecture and urbanism in 2013 at TU Delft (NL), where his graduation project was awarded a honourable mention. Nowadays Floris is also involved in education as a (guest) teacher in several institutions in the Netherlands, including Academies of Architecture in Amsterdam and Tilburg, as well as at the faculty Architecture and the Built Environment in Delft.

Floris van der Zee has a sharp eye for clear and strong spatial concepts as a means to translate complex urban assignments into coherent and concrete spatial proposals. He is experienced in complex stakeholder processes, multidisciplinary spatial assignments and the development of urban plan, regional visions and research by design. He has expertise in the areas of mixed urban living- and workingmilieus, station environments, town- and village centers, complex innercity transformation locations and urban landscapes.

Architect

Geert Das

Geert Das (1979) has worked in urban research since his graduation in 2009 from the TU/e as an architect. He worked on a range of research projects for the university and as a freelance researcher. Among his work are historic studies on post-war inner-city redevelopment in the Netherlands and on the relation between religious heritage, landscapes and urban morphogenesis. At BURA he will lead our research projects and will support the research for the design projects.

Urban designer

Hesse de Jonge

Since December 2023, I have been working at BURA as an assistant designer. In addition to working at BURA, I have been studying at the Academy of Architecture since 2021. I also studied at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, where I gained a solid foundation in urban design I see myself as a designer who wants to make an impact on the future of cities and landscapes and can find solutions to complex problems. My interests range from large-scale social research to small-scale public space designs. In my free time, I love being outdoors, taking photographs, cycling, walking, and cooking!

Urban designer

Iaroslava Nesterenko

Iaroslava Nesterenko (1993) is an urban designer originally from Russia who joined BURA in April 2024. She holds a master's degree from the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture, where she focused her research on the energy efficiency of urban environments. Iaroslava has developed her expertise at well-known Dutch agencies such as Karres en Brands and MLA+. With her extensive international experience, she is committed to creating inclusive and vibrant spaces that promote sustainability and nature-based solutions, aligning with both ecological and cultural contexts.

Urban geographer

Jordy Stamps

Jordy Stamps (1988) is an urban geographer and urban designer. He studied at Utrecht University (NL) and NHTV (NL) and has been working at BURA since January 2017. There he works on projects in the field of research, strategy and urban development plans. From his start, Jordy has been involved in the urban development plan for the new Merwede urban district in Utrecht; a green, car-free city district with amenities within easy reach.

Urban designer

Luisa Correa

Luisa Correa (1994) is an architect and urban designer from Brazil. She studied architecture and urbanism at the University of Brasilia (2017) and Urban Development and Design at the Bauhaus University Weimar (2020). While in Brazil, Luisa worked mainly with affordable housing projects and collaborative urbanism research. Since relocating to the Netherlands, Luisa worked at MVRDV in diverse urban visions and masterplans across the globe. She is enthusiastic about climate adaptative urbanism and sustainable mobility, as well as parametric design tools and a research-based design approach in shaping powerful narratives for complex urban challenges. Since April 2024 Luisa works as Urban Designer in BURA in multiscale and multidisciplinary urban design assignments.

Urban planner, partner

Marco Broekman

Marco Broekman (1973) is an architect and urban designer. He is partner of BURA, an internationally operating design office. Marco Broekman has over 20 years of experience with complex projects in the fields of urban design, research by design, architecture and landscape architecture at home and abroad. In 2014 Marco started his own office ‘marco.broekman’ which evolved in BURA urbanism in 2020.

Besides, Marco is a guest tutor at the Academy of Architecture in Amsterdam, and was teaching at the Academy of Architecture in Rotterdam, Maastricht, the RMIT University in Melbourne and the University of Lund. He was a researcher at the research group Future Urban Regions. He appears regularly as a visiting critic, has written articles for various periodicals, and lectures frequently at home and abroad. Marco is part of the Quality team of the Southern Inner City of Arnhem.

Marco Broekman studied architecture at Eindhoven University of Technology and registered as an urban designer with the Dutch Architects Registration Bureau in 2012. Marco worked as an urban designer and project manager at Kaap3, collaborating with Riek Bakker on major urban strategies. In 2006, he joined Karres en Brands, where he was a senior project manager and associate partner with a special focus on complex projects at the intersection of urban design, infrastructure and landscape.

Urban designer

Nina Viltoft Overgaard

Nina is an assistant urban designer at BURA. She is originally from Copenhagen (DK) and graduated from The Royal Danish Academy’s School of Architecture with a Master in Urbanism. She has experience from 3XN/GXN and Copenhagen Municipality working with circularity and climate adaptation. At BURA she works with complex urban planning projects and research.

Office dog

Ollie

Intern

Roël Wahyudi

Urban planner

Yunshih Chen

Yunshih Chen is an architect from Taiwan. She has worked as architecture and urban designer in private offices and the Municipality of Taipei. During 2015-2017, she attended the European Post-Masters in Urbanism in TU Delft where she graduated with Cum laude. She is enthusiastic in various urban questions, especially in landscape infrastructure, design with water and the integration of urban thinking and architecture.

Intern

Yuto Miyazono

Former employees

We would like to thank all former colleagues for their commitment and involvement.
Alexandra Kern, Ania Sosin, Boris Duijst, Chloe Charreton, Daan Helmerhorst, Giel Wieggers, Ginevra Melazzi, Guido Martin, Hannah Penwarden, Hester Koelman, Imane Boutanzit, Jeroen Castricum, Joske Bruijns, Juli Lanczky, Justus Bos, Kim van Balken, Lindy Beuk, Manon den Duijn, Maria Navarro Sanchez, Marian Enders, Marielle Wetter, Martine Koppers, Max Tuinman, Niels Leusink, Paul van Eeden, Rosita Hemelaar, Sander Maurits, Tea Hadzizulfic, Frank de Boer, Tessa Schouten, Will Priestley, Zuzanna Brek Alessandro Martini, Ana Antunes, Basia van Rijt, Bruna Pessôa, Carlijn van Giesen, Che Yi Shih, Chiara Stucchi, Chris Wester, Denise Overweel, Dariia Polishchuk, Dorottya Békési, Emma Turati, Floor Riensema, Francisco Adriane. Hamidreza Nikfarjam, Irene de Ruiter-Swinkels, Jacopo Grilli, Maciej Socha, Jenny Ciku, Jimmy Peijnenburg, Jingxuan Tu, Katrin Schneider, Magda Szczypka, Margaux Demange, Marina Lysenkova, Mariëtte Harms, Martha Seitanidou, Matthijs Breunissen, Milja Hartikainen, Onno van Rieven, Pinar Balat, Rebecca Smink, Regis Hijnekamp, Renate Bijlholt, Richelle Angelique, Robert ten Elsen, Saskia Kleij, Steijn Visser, Timothy Simons, Viktoria Papoutsidaki and Yara Alnashawati.

Join the team

Want to help us build a healthy and sustainable living city? BURA is always looking for talented and ambitious urbanists, architects, landscape architects and students. Let us know who you are by sending an email to Belinda van der Lingen at jobs@bura.city.

Intern

Who are we?
BURA is an office for urban design, landscape architecture and research. We focus on socially relevant projects and urgent spatial challenges. We provide solutions for the sustainable development and transformation of the urban landscape, through focused urban design strategies, innovative research and architectural interventions. BURA has a team of 20 passionate designers who have been working on renowned projects as the Merwede urban plan in Utrecht and the Hembrug site in Zaanstad.

What is your role?
As an intern you are part of the design team working on multiple projects in different phases and scales. You are closely involved and will contribute to projects by design studies, strong visualisation, model making and preparation of presentations.

Who are you?
You are a bachelor or master student in Urbanism or Landscape and have an affinity with design, research and related topics like mobility and sustainability. In order to be successful in your role, we expect you to be fluent in English and preferably speak Dutch. You are comfortable working with Adobe Suite and SketchUp. Knowledge of 2D drawing in AutoCad and 3D drawing in Rhino is a plus. This internship position is for a minimum of five months, at least four days a week and only open to EU citizens, or students with a valid student visa for a school for higher eduction in the field of Stedenbouwkunde or Landschapsarchitectuur in The Netherlands.

What do we offer?
·A dynamic young working environment with plenty of room for personal input and development
·A workplace at a great spot in Amsterdam
·Enthusiastic and dedicated colleagues who like to share their knowledge
·An Internship fee
·Nice drinks with colleagues, Inspiring Tuesday sessions and a healthy daily lunch

Do you want to work with us? Apply to our intern position for a minimum of 5 months – by sending your resume, portfolio and a short motivation (in Dutch or English) to Belinda van der Lingen at jobs@bura.city