Joost van den Hoek

Background

Just van den Hoek (born 1972) is a professional urban planner and researcher with extensive planning experience in Europe and Asia. Just gained professional prominence as an assistant, as well as in senior and management positions at renowned design firms, and is currently Director of Urban Planning and Planning at NITA Design Group, a Chinese-Dutch design firm based in Shanghai.

Yust specializes in developing strategies for urban mixed spaces in the 21st century. A striking example is his recent work: the Guangzhou-Tianhe Internet City, the reconstruction of the Wuhu shipyards and the reconstruction of the Xin Hua Pudong embankment in Shanghai.

Before moving to Shanghai, Just participated in many Dutch key projects such as the Amsterdam Zuidas, the Arena Boulevard, Hartvan Zuid Hengelo, Almere Business District, as well as a large number of suburban projects. From 2000 to 2007, he was the chief designer of the Roombeek Enschede district, which became a prime Dutch example of organic urban growth and won the European Planning Award in 2008.

Just van den Hoek regularly gives talks and writes for websites, magazines, books and conferences. His PhD research focuses on the development of the MXI mixed-use index, which defines the multifunctionality of cities, similar to the FSI, which defines their density.

His latest book (May 2017) was published by China Forestry under the title "Dutch Cities through the Eyes of Planners."

Just holds a Master's degree with honors in Urbanism and Architecture from the University of Delft (1998).