Niels Olivier Architects to Design DAE's new home in Kanaalzone
After a careful selection process, the team at Niels Olivier has been chosen as the architect to design the new building for Design Academy Eindhoven (DAE). DAE will move to the Canal Zone in Eindhoven in 2028.
The choice was made after a selection process involving four agencies. Sustainability, flexibility and DAE's educational vision were central to the assignment in this pitch. The proposal by Niels Olivier's team stood out because of their understanding, attention and care for the context in which the academy operates.
‘We are delighted with this important next step in the realisation of our design campus. With the choice of Niels Oliver, we are bringing in an architect who pays attention to the uniqueness of both our education and our community,’ said Raf De Keninck, chair of the DAE Executive Board.
Alumni
‘We are naturally delighted and proud to have been awarded this commission. It is a unique opportunity to create a building design in collaboration with all the design disciplines represented by the DAE,’ says Niels Olivier, who leads the team. Two team members are both alumni of the DAE: Harm Rensink and Brigitte Coremans.
Utilising our own design expertise
The recently launched Bachelor studio involves students and staff in the design process for the new building. “As a design programme, we want to make the most of our design and innovation expertise. Students and lecturers are joining forces with the team of architects to come up with solutions for functions, use of space and sustainability,” says Raf De Keninck.
Planning
The preliminary design (artist's impression) is expected early next year. This will give an idea of the building's appearance. Construction is expected to start in 2027, after which the building will be ready for use in the autumn of 2028. The entire project is being supervised by R-ffect from Best.
About Niels Olivier Architects
Owner Niels Olivier grew up and was educated in Eindhoven. Over the past 10 years, he and his team have worked on transformation projects at Strijp T and the Kanaalzone in Eindhoven. A recent project is the transformation of the monumental Melkfabriek into multifunctional commercial space, a stone's throw from the location for the new DAE.
In addition to Niels Olivier, the team for the DAE assignment also includes two DAE alumni: Harm Rensink and Brigitte Coremans. Harm Rensink started his studio in 2008 and works on exhibition and interior design projects for clients including the Vitra Design Museum, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and the European Parliament. Brigitte Coremans has lived and worked in London and Basel for the past fifteen years as an interior and product designer for Studioilse, Vitra and Herzog & de Meuron, among others. In 2025, she established her own studio in the Netherlands.