How does MVRDV approach housing density?

On October 17 Lorenzo Mattozzi, Associate and Architect at MVRDV, will deliver a lecture at RE Code 2024: The Housing of Tomorrow in Vilnius, Lithuania. This event is part of a series of conferences organized by the Lithuanian magazine Structum in collaboration with the Lithuanian Union of Architects, featuring external guest speakers throughout the year.

Lorenzo’s lecture will explore MVRDV’s pioneering approach to residential density and housing, tracing the studio’s innovative work from its early projects to the present day. He will highlight how MVRDV’s focus on reimagining high-density living has shaped its architectural identity, using landmark projects like WoZoCo, Silodam, and Valley as case studies.

From its inception, MVRDV has been at the forefront of residential design, tackling the challenges of urban density with forward-thinking solutions. The WoZoCo project, completed in 1997 in Amsterdam, exemplifies this innovative spirit. Designed to provide housing for seniors in a constrained urban area, WoZoCo introduced cantilevered apartments that extended beyond the building’s facade, maximizing the floor-area ratio and offering spacious, light-filled homes. This bold solution set the tone for MVRDV’s ongoing commitment to creating high-quality living environments within dense cityscapes.

Over time, MVRDV has refined this approach, incorporating mixed-use developments that blend public spaces with residential functions. Projects like Silodam and Mirador expanded on these ideas, creating vertically layered, multifunctional urban structures that translate the complexity of city life into rich, diverse living experiences. These designs emphasize connectivity and social interaction, key principles in MVRDV’s ethos of fostering community even in high-rise, high-density environments.

Valley, completed in 2022, exemplifies MVRDV’s evolution in residential design. Integrating nature into a dense urban setting, Valley is a mixed-use complex combining residential, office, and commercial spaces, with terraced green areas that engage both residents and the public. Its porous design redefines the skyline of the Zuidas business district and embodies MVRDV’s philosophy of “stacking” functions to achieve vertical density, programmatic diversity, and ecological enrichment.

At MVRDV, Lorenzo leads projects within the DAS Studio, focusing on mixed-use developments, urban integration, and social connectivity, particularly in Germany. Since joining the firm in 2017, he has played a key role in realizing major projects in Asia, particularly in China. Prior to MVRDV, Lorenzo gained extensive international experience at architectural firms in Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Brazil. His leadership reflects his diverse expertise in architectural design, project development, and sustainability.

• Date & Time: October 17, 10.00 (EET)
• Location: Multikino - Ozo g. 18, 08243 Vilnius, Lithuania
• More information on the event can be found here