
smart & livable cities
urbanism
We believe in the value of urban density to prevent the land-consuming sprawl of cities around the world. To us everything is urbanism, and at the same time urbanism is a device that allows society to develop further, becoming better, greener, and more social. This requires stamina: we can engage long-term, sometimes for more than two decades, with a place we are making. Our plans are flexible in order to allow for the change that this ever-so-slow discipline requires.

Working within the sometimes-difficult demands of urban density, we also believe in a number of softer principles for creating a quality living environment: diversity, freedom, sustainability, happiness, and communal space. We apply these principles to masterplans at all scales, from neighbourhood developments to entire cities.
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In proposals such as our plan for Grand Paris, we explored the boundaries of density, trying to incorporate the requirements of Nicolas Sarkozy’s Grand Paris plan into as little area as possible—as we put it, we aimed to find the ‘Grand Paris Plus Petit’.
In projects such as our masterplans for Bordeaux Bastide Niel, Nieuw Leyden and the Waterwijk neighbourhood of Ypenburg, diversity was paramount; our masterplans introduced rules that ensured the liveability and economic viability of these developments, while encouraging experimentation by the architects involved in realizing buildings on the sites. The result is neighbourhoods that are cohesive, yet lively.

Meanwhile, Almere Oosterwold is a radical experiment in freedom. What are the fewest rules we can impose upon a masterplan while still ensuring a cohesive result? With just a small number of rules, comparable to a game, regarding land use and infrastructure requirements, the residents of Almere Oosterwold have been given the freedom (and the responsibility) they need to build their neighbourhood themselves.
Experience Urbanism
Seoullo 7017 Skygarden
Hongqiao CBD
TEDA Urban Fabric
Bjørvika Barcode
UPV Munich
Flight Forum
Nieuw Leyden
Almere Floriade 2022
Almere Oosterwold
Bastide Niel
Ettlinger Tor Karlsruhe
Versterking Overschild
Resilient by Design
Dawn Bridge
Young City Gdansk
Hyde Park
(Y)our City Centre
Traumhaus Funari
Urban Interactive District
Franklin Mitte
La Grande Mosaïque
Basel Rheincity
Grand Paris
Almere 2030
Kralingse Berg
The Hague Canals
Potsdam Kreativ Quartier³
Barapullah Springs
Supervision of Eindhoven City Center
Feldmoching
The Next Hutong
Westerpark West
Shenzhen Cultural District
New Holland Island
Olympia Quarter
XinJin Water City
Almere Hout
Pampus Harbour
North Sea Wind Park
De Nieuwe Kuip
Chengdu Sky Valley
Huanggang Grid
The Sun Flower Islands
The Weaves
Werkstadt Grasbrook
Shenzhen Super Streets
Super Walk
Bagneux
Papirøen
Holland Village
Green Rail Corridor
Government Quarter Oslo
Assen Station
Serp & Molot Factory
The Gardens of Zaryadye
Mattilaniemi Campus
Oslo le Grand
Shanghai Post Expo
A101Urban Block
Jardins de Descartes
Tegel Fields
Shenzhen 3D Street
Gwanggyo Power Centre
Scanderberg Square
Montecorvo Eco-City
Citta Sospesa
Shenzhen Super Window
Lagoon City
Tirana Rocks
Stadt Land Schweiz
Skycar City
The Rose Window
Montceau-les-mines
KM3 Shanghai
Freeland @ the Biennale
MVRDVH20
NL28 Olympic Fire
China Hills
Timeline urbanism
#UPDATES

5,000 affordable homes and green spaces connecting the Nieuwe Noorden: Rotterdam Labour Party revives MVRDV’s Kralingse Berg plan

Exciting densification plan for Eindhoven City Centre, developed by MVRDV and the city, approved by city council
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Kristina Knauf on Resilient Architecture at Scaliurbani Green Edition Seminar, Livorno, Italy

'Urban development, architecture and urban housing in the Netherlands', Sven Thorissen Online Speaker and Panelist at Hessen Trade Invest seminar

MVRDV masterplan for Ettlinger Tor in Karlsruhe: a reflective floating garden counterpoints the absolutist castle

CANCELLED - Jacob van Rijs and Jan Knikker at press conference Ode aan het Landschap

MVRDV Wins Competition to Design New Creative Quarter Potsdam with a Village-Inspired Masterplan

Westerpark West: Construction of the First Building has Started.

Aser Giménez Ortega, MVRDV’s approach to the future of design

MVRDV at 100+ Forum Russia in Ekaterinburg

Peter Mensinga at University Federico II in Naples

Jan Knikker at Festival of Creative Urban Living (AFCUL) in Milton Keynes

Kyo Suk Lee at Conference on Future Proof City: Smart Waterfront City

Winy Maas at the First Edition of the Biennale d’Architecture et de Paysage d’Ile-de-France

Jan Knikker speaking at Round Table @ Value One, Vienna
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MVRDV transforms Amsterdam office complex into a green residential area

ArchMarathon 2018: MVRDV's Seoullo 7017 Skygarden wins achitecture marco category

MVRDV presents 5 recommendations for a resilient future in the San Francisco bay area
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MVRDV's Tianjin Binhai Library and Seoullo 7017 Skygarden featured in The TIME Magazine's list of top 100 World's Greatest Places 2018

MVRDV gets the green light for Hyde Park, a future 400,000 m² urban district for Hooddorp
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Almere Floriade 2022 viaducts under construction
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MVRDV designs Urban Interactive District situated next to the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam

Seoullo 7017 Skygarden wins 'Best Urban Practice' at IDEAT Future Awards CN
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MVRDV’s Dawn Bridge near Shanghai offers seats to view a historic town and river scenery

Tianjin Binhai Library and Seoul Skygarden among finalists for ArchDaily’s Building of the Year 2018

HASSELL+ team announced for second stage of the Resilient by Design Bay Area Challenge

Almere Floriade 2022's first trees planted

Seoullo 7017 Skygarden wins DFA Design Awards 2017

Almere Floriade 2022 Receives International Status

Resilient by Design Ideas Presented

Seoullo 7017 Skygarden wins first US Award - Surface Travel Awards 2017
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MVRDV joins HASSELL led Resilient by Design Bay Area Challenge team

Seoul Skygarden finalist in Surface Magazine's Travel Awards

MVRDV shortlisted for the second stage of the Gdansk Shipyard competition

2 Million People Visit Seoullo 7017 Skygarden

MVRDV announces urban vision masterplan for Hyde Park, Haarlemmermeer
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MVRDV redefines affordable suburban housing with Traumhaus

Papirøen proposal transforms historic structures into creative cultural district
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MVRDV presents La Grande Mosaïque, 600 Hectare Urban Plan In Caen, Normandy

Construction begins on infrastructure for Almere Floriade 2022

Work begins on Seoul 7017 Skygarden

MVRDV among 5 teams selected to develop Singapore Rail Corridor concept Masterplan
