1.Lectures Sanne van Manen: The future is already built
Arcam and the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture present the 1.Lectures – Repair and Renewal, a lecture series for students and anyone interested in designing within the context of climate challenges.
The Future Is Already Built
Sanne van Manen is an architect, founder of Studio Meent, and co-founder of Platform Woonopgave, an initiative advocating for alternative solutions to the housing crisis that are affordable, sustainable, collective, and future-proof.
Through Platform Woonopgave, Sanne brings together research, policy, and design in sharp analyses and concrete proposals. The foundation was born out of frustration with the stalled housing market, but has since evolved into a knowledge platform where experts collaborate on affordable, fair, and sustainable solutions.
In her lecture, Sanne starts from an urgent question: what if the solution to the housing crisis does not lie only in new construction, but in making better use of what already exists? Under the title The Future Is Already Built, she explores the potential of the existing city. After all, the majority of the buildings we will live in by 2050 have already been built. This makes sustainability and the housing challenge inherently connected.
Her lecture demonstrates that the future of housing is not only something we still have to build — it is largely already there. The real question is: how do we work with it?
From this perspective, she first outlines the why and the potential of making better use of what we have: adding rooftop extensions, splitting homes, transforming buildings, sharing spaces, and reprogramming existing structures — not as emergency measures, but as a strategic and sustainable direction. She then illustrates, through concrete projects, how “finding homes” can become a design challenge — in rooftops, in vacant spaces, and within existing structures.
Previously, Sanne worked as a Senior Associate at MVRDV in Rotterdam, where she contributed to projects such as the Rooftop Catalogue and Co-living, design research exploring the use of empty rooftops and new housing models.
Visitor Info
1.Lectures – Sanne van Manen: The Future Is Already Built
Date: Thursday, 9 April 2026
Time: 19:50 doors open | 20:00 lecture starts | 21:15 end
Location: Amsterdam Academy of Architecture
Address: Waterlooplein 211–213, 1011 PG Amsterdam
Tickets: €9 regular
Free for staff and students of the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture (available via the ticket button)
Note: The language of this lecture series is English.
