prof.dr.ir.V.J. Meyer

Urbanism (U) | Urban Design (SO)
Chair of Urban Design – Theory and Methods

Han Meyer (born in 1951) has been a full professor of Urban Design – Theory and Methods at the faculty since 2001. He concentrates on the fundamentals of urban design, the development of design methods and critical reflection of contemporary urban design practice. Urban design is, in Meyer’s opinion, to landscape an area in such a way that it becomes a usable social asset, now and in the future. He believes the ability to anticipate social developments as one of the most important aspects of present-day urban design, as is the ability to put today’s challenges in a historical perspective. The Chair develops methods which with urban space can be structured and shaped, and by which future developments in society can be anticipated. Another important issue is the response given to the nature of the area. The low peat and claylands of the western and northern Netherlands, for example, require designs that take strong account of the groundwater level. Meyer himself conducts research into the fundamentals of urban design. Among the courses he teaches are the lecture series entitled ‘Basic Concepts of Urban Design’ in the Bachelor’s degree programme. As far as the future is concerned, he particularly regards the stimulation of the discussion on the social significance of public spaces as one of the main areas of the field.

Meyer is an urban planner. He spent more than ten years working at the Dienst Ruimtelijke Ordening en Stedebouw in Rotterdam (city planning department) and was an advisor to the city when it was Culture Capital of Europe in 2001. He also assisted with the ‘Stad aan de Stroom’ design exhibition in Antwerp. At present he is a member of, among other things, the scientific committee of Europan and the research council of the Netherlands Institute for Spatial Research.