Machiel Spaan (born 5 December 1966) is a Dutch architect and educator.
Biography Machiel Spaan was born on 5 December 1966 in Nijmegen. He studied architecture at the Eindhoven University of Technology from 1985 until 1992. Upon his master's degree in 1992 he founded M3H architecten, Amsterdam, of which he has remained owner together with architect Marc Reniers. Since 1994 Spaan has created more than forty apartment buildings in The Netherlands, mostly within the existing city of Amsterdam. His buildings have been selected for the Yearbook of Dutch Architecture in 2013/14Architectuur in Nederland Jaarboek 2013/14 T. Avermaete, H. van der Heijden, E. Oostmeijer, L. Vlassenrood, editors. NAI 010 uitgevers, Rotterdam, 2014 and 2015/16.Architectuur in Nederland Jaarboek 2015/16 T. Avermaete, H. van der Heijden, E. Oostmeijer, K. Hannema, editors. NAI 010 uitgevers, Rotterdam, 2016 In 2016, his apartment building De Smaragd won the Zuiderkerk Prize, the most prestigious architecture prize awarded by the city of Amsterdam.De Smaragd in de Indische Buurt winnaar van de Zuiderkerkprijs, Ton Damen, Het Parool, The Netherlands, 7 December 2016
Since 2000 Spaan has been a professor of architecture at the ArtEZ University of Arts and the Amsterdam University of the Arts respectively. From 2007 until 2012 he was Head of the Department of Architecture at the Amsterdam University of the Arts. As part of the Erasmus Programme he initiated, curated, and has taught a workshop series in seven European countries since 2008. In his educational projects, such as Tastenderwijs (2004), The Temporary Expert (2004–07), Building Tectonics (2007–14), Crafting the façade (2015-17), Spaan largely focusses on the creation of sensory experiences of architecture through engagement with materials and exploration of form. In collaboration with the landscape architect Bruno Doedens, he created the three environmental workshops Pannenland (2013),Oerol. De zee neemt geen afscheid. T. Metz. De Groene Amsterdammer, 24 juni 2013 Wadland (2014), and Windwerk (2016), engaging with the landscape in an ongoing process of transformation. A hallmark of Spaan's approach is an active engagement with the design question, taking confluence as a starting point. Questioning the physical, social, and historical context in an ongoing process towards innovation of the architectural form.Tugelablokken. De nieuwe Tugelablokken zijn een voorbeeld van een Nieuwe Amsterdamse School die met respect voor geschiedenis en traditie de stad op een hedendaagse wijze vernieuwd. De architect (online), 25 augustus 2015
Selected works by Spaan/ M3H architecten De Mokumer, Van Beuningenstraat, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2005. Zuiderkerk Prize 2005 (nominated) Wooden Houses, Wenslauerstraat, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2013.Wooden Houses in Amsterdam by M3H Architecten, Ashleigh Davis, Dezeen, 22 oktober 2013 Amsterdamse Nieuwbouw Prize 2014 (second prize) De Boetzelaer, Boetzelaerplein, Amsterdam, 2013. Tugelawegblokken, Tugelaweg, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2015.Tugelablokken. modern vakmanschap geïnspireerd op oude details C. Debets (auteur), A. van der Hoek (fotograaf), BouwTotaal (online), 6 juli 2016De Amsterdamse School bestaat honderd jaar. Een viering van zijn iconische bouwstijl. K. Hannema, K. Knols, De Volkskrant, 8 April 2016Winnaars Arie Keppler Prijs 2016Herwaardering van de complexiteit van historische architectuur - Tugelawegblokken in Amsterdam door M3H architecten. M. van Winsen (auteur), A. van der Hoek (fotograaf). De Architect Magazine, VMN, Alphen aan de Rijn, December 2016 Amsterdamse Nieuwbouw Prize 2016 (nominated); Arie Keppler Prize 2016 (first prize in the category Residential buildings); Brick Award 2018 (nominated) De Smaragd, Insulindeweg, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2016. Zuiderkerk Prize 2016 (first prize); Arie Keppler Prize 2018 (nominated) The Listening House (interdisciplinary sound architecture installation, with composer Rozalie Hirs, 2017).Een poppenhuis bouwen is geen kinderspel K. Hannema, De Volkskrant, 15 April 2017A short walk through space and sound M. Spaan, area 154 - acoustic temples, area Magazine, Milaan, Italië, September-oktober 2017 De Lootsborger, Lootsstraat & Borgerstraat, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2019. Ways of Space (interdisciplinary architectural sound installation, with composer Rozalie Hirs, 2019). Supported by Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie, STEIM, Van Doesburghuis, and Mondriaan Fonds. Langs de Lijn, IJburglaan, Zeeburgereiland, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2019. De Zeebloem, Molukkenstraat, Soendastraat, Madurastraat & Billitonstraat, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2020. Terrazza, John Blankensteinstraat & Faas Wilkesstraat, Zeeburgereiland, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2020. Rozenprieel, Haarlem, The Netherlands, 2021. Kaap Hoorn, Grote Waal, Hoorn, The Netherlands, 2021. De Nieuwezijds, De Krijgsman, Muiden, The Netherlands, 2022. Poortgebouw Noord, Wickevoort Estate, Haarlemmermeer, The Netherlands, 2022. Lariks, Houthavens, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2023. 9 Houten Huizen, Schuttersbos, Eindhoven, The Netherlands, 2025.
Selected publications The Revolving Earth (M. Spaan, English translation: M. Speer), Architectura and Natura (G. Bekkers, ed.), Amsterdam, 2026 The Wandering Maker (M. Spaan; English translation: M. Speer), Architectura and Natura (G. Bekkers, ed.), Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2019 Crafting the Façade. Stone, Brick, Wood. A handbook of innovative concepts for design and construction of building façades (U. Meister, C. Rist-Stadelman, M. Spaan, eds.), Park Books, Zürich, Switzerland, 2018. Forum (M. Spaan, M. Maaskant, E. Ronner, L. Kramer, B. de Baets, S. Kassenaar, eds.). Architecture Magazine (10 editions), Architectura et Amicitia, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2018-2025 A short walk through space and sound - Seven notes by Machiel Spaan (M. Spaan; Engelse vertaling: Billy Nolen), area 154 - acoustic temples, area Magazine, Milaan, Italy, 2017 The merit of sauntering (M. Spaan), X Agendas for architecture, Artifice, London, UK, 2016.News: X Agendas for Architecture. Book launch at the Dutch Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Italy, 27 May 2016 Technische Universiteit Delft (online), 19 mei 2016 pp 109–111 New attitudes: designing in times of transformation (K. de Jong, A. Oxenaar, M. Kloos, M. Spaan, eds.), Architectura and Natura, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2013. Musical approaches to Space (M. Spaan). Music, Space and Architecture, Architectura and Natura, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2012. pp 77–93 Music, Space and Architecture (K. de Jong, A. Oxenaar, M. Kloos, M. Spaan, eds.), Architectura and Natura, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2012.
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