Han Thijssen: at MTD for 25 years already!

August 28, 2013
Han Thijssen started on a challenge at Buys en van der Vliet 25 years ago, that would lead to the founding of MTD landschapsarchitecten 10 years later. Today the agency celebrates the fact that, in all these years, Han has not only contributed to the making of inspiring landscape architecture projects, but also his success as the Commercial Director and Personnel Manager. After having graduated in 1981 as a designer at the Rijks Hogere School Voor Tuin- en Landschapsinrichting (R.H.S.T.L.) [national college for professional education for gardening and landscape development] in Boskoop, he gained experience at various municipalities and agencies, before becoming a Project Manager at Buys & van der Vliet on 28 August 1988. He developed very quickly to the post Senior Project Manager, and after 10 years, together with Frank Meijer and Ruud Dubbeld, he took up the challenge to take over the agency. Since then Han has not only been one of the substantive driving forces, he also manages the daily state of affairs in the firm as the Commercial Director.  Han’s interests in landscape architecture is not only expressed in the realisation of beautiful plans, his talents as a chairman, manager and administrator haven't gone unnoticed either. As a member of the management and treasurer of the NVTL (1993 - 2003) and SAB Association (2004 - present), he involves himself in the sound positioning of landscape architecture within the discipline of the spatial planning. Furthermore, he was involved in the establishing of “The New Rules” which contains a standard (job)description of the legal relationship between the client – architect, engineer and consultant (2000-2006). Han has a passion for education and keeps close contact with the training programme Garden and Landscape development at Hogeschool Larenstein in Velp, where many of his staff have studied. As the chairman of the Discipline Advisory Committee (since 1999) he warrants the link between education and practice, with the ‘MTD Award’ as the plum which is granted every year to a talented student, giving them the chance to go on a study trip to an inspiring place. All these activities have ensured that Han has varying challenges, in which everyone at MTD supports him to attain even more beautiful results within the professional field of landscape architecture and the agency continues to be successful: here's a toast to the next 25 years!

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