Michiel joined Mei architects and planners in 2012 as a project architect, became an associate partner in 2017 and a full partner in the firm in 2022.
After the HTS in Tilburg (2007) and his Master of Architecture at TU Delft (2011, cum laude) Michiel gained experience at several architecture firms in the Netherlands and abroad (New York, Vienna, Rotterdam). In 2012 he applied at Mei. “I loved the aesthetics of projects like the Schiecentrale. This kind of project, with its high complexity and the layering of existing and new buildings, was the exact reason I applied for a job. I like working on different levels of scale and can do that well. Without those skills, I wouldn’t be able to do projects like Fenix I or Kabeldistrict in Delft.” At Mei’s, he learned the importance of making choices in a design, by constantly weighing up what is really important and daring to make a selection. “Choosing is essential, that is my most important lesson. You can make everything important, but that doesn’t necessarily make it more relevant.”
The reservation of space – within residential buildings, projects and cities – is Michiel’s pet subject. In addition to working on the content of projects, he would therefore like to become more involved in the discussion about architecture and spatial interpretation in the future. Michiel previously worked as a guest speaker and graduation supervisor at Avans University of Applied Sciences in Tilburg.
“At the level of both the city and the building, that space is incredibly important.”
Michiel van Loon lives with his wife and two children in an old school building in Breda. When he is not working, he likes to garden in the large communal backyard, go mountain biking with friends or hiking with his family and being outdoors in nature.
