Joost van den Hoek (1972) is a professional urban planner and researcher with extensive planning experience in Europe and Asia. Joost gained his professional stature in senior, associate and director positions at renown design firms and is currently director of urban planning and design at NITA Design Group, a Sino-Dutch design firm based in Shanghai. .
Joost is specialized in design strategies for metropolitan mixed-use environments of the 21st century as exemplified in recent works like, Guangzhou Tianhe internet town, Wuhu shipyard redevelopment and the Shanghai Xin Hua Pudong Riverfront redevelopment.
Before moving to Shanghai Joost was involved in many Dutch keynote projects such as the Amsterdam Zuidas, the Arena Boulevard, Hart van Zuid Hengelo, Business District Almere, and a large number of suburban developments. In the period 2000-2007 he was principal designer of disaster district Roombeek Enschede, which became a Dutch icon for organic urban growth and won the European planning award in 2008.
Joost van den Hoek speaks and writes regularly for websites, magazines, books and conferences. His PhD research (TU/e Tongji) focuses on the development of a mixed use index MXI that defines urban mix like the FSI defines urban density. His most recent book (May 2017) is published by China Forestry publishing house under the name "Dutch towns as seen through planners eyes"
Joost holds masters degrees with distinction in Urbanism and Architecture from Delft University (1998).