Building with care, for people and nature
Since our founding in 2000, B+O Architecture and Urban Planning has been based on the belief that architecture and urban planning are more than just stacking stones or drawing lines. Our designs are rooted in craftsmanship, context, and a biophilic vision: architecture that connects with nature and society, and that enhances well-being and sustainability.
This gives us the opportunity to uphold the goal of our mission despite the changing aspects of our surroundings. Our aim is to remain independent, engaged, and to prioritize social value in the long term rather than maximize profit. We work with the landscape with the skill of our ancestors, avoid wasting resources, and approach the land as a borrowed heritage of which we are temporary stewards.
This philosophy permeates our projects:
Oude Tempel estate in Soesterberg
At the Oude Tempel estate in Soesterberg, we combine heritage preservation with new buildings that prioritize natural values, biodiversity, and community building. Amvest’s Seasons concept has been integrated here, among other things: a residential and care environment for seniors that combines vitality, community spirit, and personalized care. With lifelong homes, a community space, and ecological accents like green facades and nesting boxes, an environment is created that encourages connection and offers residents the opportunity to age healthily and connectedly.
care estate Oude Tempel Soesterberg
Leenders pumping station
The Leenders pumping station demonstrates that infrastructure can also be meaningful. In Wanneperveen, we designed a pumping station that is not hidden away, but visible: semi-transparent facades, circular openings, and colored lighting that visualizes its operation (red at full capacity, green at rest). Furthermore, attention is paid to fish migration, nesting boxes for birds, and the use of sustainable materials with low CO₂ emissions. In this way, a technical intervention becomes a monument that serves the landscape, ecology, and community.
Pumping Station Leenders
Precisely because we are involved from the very first urban design concept to the execution of the finest architectural details, we can consistently embody these values at every stage of development. Whether it concerns sustainable materials, integration into the landscape, climate adaptation, or social amenities—our mission translates into practice.
In the coming years, we focus on:
- Embedding livability and climate adaptability even more strongly—through water management, green structures, and design flexibility.
- Context-sensitive design—so that buildings and public spaces respond to the history, ecology, and social challenges of their location.
- Structurally embedding social impact—through programs, shared spaces, social gatherings, healthcare infrastructure, and active community development in every project.
This philosophy is not a snapshot: it is our driving force for everything we design and realize from now on. The choice to become steward-owned reinforces this course, so that we can remain true to our values—and build upon them—in the future.