Francesco Veenstra has been Government Architect since 1 September 2021 and as such chairman of the Board of Government Advisers. The Government Architect advises the Minister of the Interior and Director-General of the Central Government Real Estate Agency. He monitors and promotes the architectural and urban quality of government projects. Divestment and redevelopment of government real estate are also important areas of attention of the Government Architect.
Together with the Government Advisors for the Physical Living Environment Jannemarie de Jonge and Wouter Veldhuis, the Government 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.
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Francesco Veenstra (1973) has been a partner at Vakwerk architecten in Delft since 2017. Before that, he worked at Mecanoo, where he was co-owner from 2007 to 2017. During this period he worked on many social assignments such as the Library of Birmingham, Stadskantoor and station hall Delft, Kaap Skil on Texel and cultural complex Home in Manchester. Francesco Veenstra has extensive experience in projects for cultural organisations, higher education, commercial real estate and infrastructure. Francesco was educated at the Rotterdam Academy of Architecture. Until July of this year, he was chairman of the Association of Dutch Architectural Firms (BNA).
Francesco Veenstra succeeded Floris Alkemade, who has held the position of Government Architect for six years. In the coming years, Veenstra will combine the Government Architectship with working within Vakwerk.