Woonwerk Architecten is an architectural firm founded by Johan De Wachter and Rik De Vooght based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and Antwerp, Belgium. They specialize in complex projects in today's city, with a research-based approach. They work on projects that prioritize life in all its aspects: comfortable homes, sustainable buildings, attractive neighbourhoods, and a healthy living environment.
Their approach is always based on the local context, both spatially and socioculturally and economically. Through research, they approach innovative projects at different scales, exploring different possible solutions that adapt to each specific context.
Johan De Wachter is an architect and founding partner of Woonwerk Architecten - Rotterdam. He arrived in Rotterdam after studying at the Catholic University of Leuven (KUL) and worked from 2000 to 2004 at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA/Rem Koolhaas) on various urban planning and architectural projects and competitions. In 2003, he founded Fün Design Consultancy, where he remained a partner until 2005.
In 2005, he founded Johan De Wachter Architecten, and in 2011, he founded 2DVW Architecten in Antwerp with Rik De Vooght. In 2023, the agencies changed names. The collaboration was further consolidated with the creation of Woonwerk Architecten. With Woonwerk, Johan works on national and international projects.
He was selected for the "Europe 40 Under 40 Award" in 2014. This award recognized him as one of the 40 most outstanding young design talents in Europe.
Rik De Vooght is an architect and founding partner of Woonwerk Architecten - Antwerp. Rik studied at the Catholic University of Leuven, where he graduated as an architect and engineer. He began his career with an internship at Jo Crepain Architect N.V. and worked as a project manager, and later as a project manager, on various national and international projects.
Together with Allard Schwencke, Rik founded Open Architecten bvba, where he was project manager and responsible for several projects in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Portugal.
Rik later changed the name of Open Architecten bvba to Rik de Vooght Architecten bvba. In the meantime, he also founded 2DVW Architecten bvba, together with Johan de Wachter (JDWA). 2DVW Architecten is an architecture and design studio specializing in large-scale projects, both national and international.
The "Pharmacy De Vooght" project was nominated for the Belgium Building Awards, the National Steel Building Prize, and won the 2007 Architecture Night. In 2010, the "Balteau Site" urban development plan in Liège won joint first place in the Europan 10 international design competition.
