GAAGA is a studio for architectural design and engineering, located in Delft, the Netherlands, and was founded, in 2007, by Arie Bergsma and Esther Stevelink, both educated at the Delft University of Technology. They pay special attention to collective urban housing and to circular design and "open building".
With a focus on sustainable building, they discover new possibilities in architecture. GAAGA received several awards and nominations.
Esther Stevelink studied at Delft University of Technology from 1992-1997, where she graduated successfully as an architect. She gained professional experience at leading architecture firms such as Claus en Kaan architects in Amsterdam, Geurst & Schulze in The Hague and Van Sambeek en Van Veen architects, also in Amsterdam. At these firms, she worked on a variety of projects, from urban planning assignments to the design of schools and residential buildings.
In 2006, she started GAAGA out of a wish for more direct contact with end users combined with more custom-made architecture. In addition, she focused on research and education, including a guest lectureship at TU Delft. From 2007 to 2010, she was a member of the building aesthetics committee of the municipality of The Hague. In 2015, she was a jury member of the biennial European ideas competition Europan 13 for architecture, urbanism and landscape, for which she and Arie Bergsma won second prize in 2001 and first prize in 2010. She joined the OpenBuilding.co network as a founding partner in 2021.
Arie Bergsma studied Aerospace Engineering at the Delft University of Technology. In 1995, he successfully graduated and started working as a researcher at the former Hoogovens R&D, now Corus/Tata Steel. Based on his interest in architecture and building, he decided to study Architecture after, at Eindhoven Technical University. Between 1998 and 2004, he studied part-time and worked at various engineering firms: Prince Cladding, D3BN Consulting Engineers and Peutz Consulting Engineers in Zoetermeer.
At Peutz Consulting Engineers, he worked as a consultant in building physics, building acoustics and energy performance from 2001 to 2006 and was involved in large-scale projects throughout the Netherlands. In 2006, he started GAAGA to focus on his own projects and consultancy work. Since 2007, he works at TU Delft as a lecturer in building engineering and as coordinator of the facade design course, Chair of Design of Construction.
With a focus on sustainable building, they discover new possibilities in architecture. GAAGA received several awards and nominations.
Esther Stevelink studied at Delft University of Technology from 1992-1997, where she graduated successfully as an architect. She gained professional experience at leading architecture firms such as Claus en Kaan architects in Amsterdam, Geurst & Schulze in The Hague and Van Sambeek en Van Veen architects, also in Amsterdam. At these firms, she worked on a variety of projects, from urban planning assignments to the design of schools and residential buildings.
In 2006, she started GAAGA out of a wish for more direct contact with end users combined with more custom-made architecture. In addition, she focused on research and education, including a guest lectureship at TU Delft. From 2007 to 2010, she was a member of the building aesthetics committee of the municipality of The Hague. In 2015, she was a jury member of the biennial European ideas competition Europan 13 for architecture, urbanism and landscape, for which she and Arie Bergsma won second prize in 2001 and first prize in 2010. She joined the OpenBuilding.co network as a founding partner in 2021.
Arie Bergsma studied Aerospace Engineering at the Delft University of Technology. In 1995, he successfully graduated and started working as a researcher at the former Hoogovens R&D, now Corus/Tata Steel. Based on his interest in architecture and building, he decided to study Architecture after, at Eindhoven Technical University. Between 1998 and 2004, he studied part-time and worked at various engineering firms: Prince Cladding, D3BN Consulting Engineers and Peutz Consulting Engineers in Zoetermeer.
At Peutz Consulting Engineers, he worked as a consultant in building physics, building acoustics and energy performance from 2001 to 2006 and was involved in large-scale projects throughout the Netherlands. In 2006, he started GAAGA to focus on his own projects and consultancy work. Since 2007, he works at TU Delft as a lecturer in building engineering and as coordinator of the facade design course, Chair of Design of Construction.
