Sanne van Manen Presents: The Future Is Already Built – Strategies for Sustainable Architecture at Arcam

This lecture, part of the 1.Lectures – Repair and Renewal series, features architect Sanne van Manen discussing how to address the housing crisis by making better use of existing urban structures. It explores strategies for sustainable housing through reuse, transformation, and reprogramming of existing buildings.

Arcam and the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture present 'The Future Is Already Built,' a lecture by architect Sanne van Manen, as part of the 1.Lectures – Repair and Renewal series. The lecture aims to engage students and interested individuals in designing within the context of climate challenges. Sanne van Manen, founder of Studio Meent and co-founder of Platform Woonopgave, advocates for alternative solutions to the housing crisis focusing on affordability, sustainability, and collective future-proofing. The core of her lecture addresses the urgent question of whether the solution to the housing crisis lies not solely in new construction, but in optimally utilizing existing resources. Under the title 'The Future Is Already Built,' she examines the potential of the current city, positing that the majority of future housing stock already exists. This perspective highlights the intrinsic connection between sustainability and the housing challenge. Van Manen's presentation will demonstrate that the future of housing is largely present, and the key lies in how we work with these existing assets. She will outline the rationale and potential of enhancing existing structures through rooftop extensions, home splitting, building transformations, space sharing, and reprogramming, framing these not as temporary fixes but as strategic, sustainable directions. Concrete projects will then illustrate how "finding homes" can be approached as a design challenge within rooftops, vacant spaces, and existing buildings.

Tickets are €9 for regular admission. Staff and students of the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture can attend for free by using the provided ticket button. Doors open at 19:50, and the lecture starts at 20:00, concluding around 21:15.