
Who I am
My name is Marcel Janssens, and I am an architect-in-training, currently based in the Netherlands. I am 22 years old and have wanted to be an architect/builder/designer since I was a child. For the past four years, I have been studying at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, where I am currently working to get my Master's degree.
From a young age my interests in blocks, drawing, and Legos quickly developed into interests in puzzles, Minecraft and architecture. Many of my favorite games, activities and extracurriculars involved some form of designing, building and problem-solving. Some of my other interests and hobbies outside of architecture include cooking, travel and gardening.
My Mission
I want to make architecture focussed on creating the ultimate domestic experience for people. I believe that architecture is an expression of human endeavor, and that a home is the purest expression of one's personality. My mission is to help as many people as possible to have a home that suits them best.
CV
Education

MSc Architecture, Urbanism & Building Sciences (Architecture Track)
The Master's Program for Architecture at TU Delft is one of the best in the world, and consistently scores in the top-3 of Architecture courses world wide. The program takes two years, and consists of three major design studio's, two electives, and additional courses for theory and research. My studio's, so far, include the Heritage & Architecture Studio, the Methods of Design & Analysis Studio (themed around Architecture & Freedom), and TBD.

BSc Bouwkunde (Building Sciences)
The Bachelor's degree 'Bouwkunde' at TU Delft encompasses many building sciences, including Architecture, Urbanism, Building Technology, Management and Landscape Architecture. In three years, students take courses in six different 'learning lines': Technology (TE); Academic & Research Skills (AC); Management & Society (MA); Foundations (GR); Form & Communication (OV), which includes Model Studies, Form Studies and Drawing Studies; and larger design projects (ON), in which I produced projects such as Novo Molinus, DuDock House and Treehousing.

Honors Program Bachelor (HPB)
This is an intensive and exclusive extracurricular program in which accepted students get to take on additional courses on top of the regular Bachelor's program, both broadening and deepening our knowledge and skills in the field. This consists of faculty and interfaculty courses, such as a course where we produced a documentary on a construction site, and 48hr competition-style design assignments to design a park access and a seal exhibit.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma
The IB Diploma Program is a rigorous, and integrated program of secondary school which approaches education holistically. This means that students are well-rounded and have a variation within their course choices. My subject-package consisted of Physics Higher Level (HL), Chemistry HL, English Language & Literature HL, Mathematics Standard Level (SL), Dutch Literature SL and Business & Management SL. I followed this program at International School Hilversum (ISH) in the Netherlands.

VWO Wiskunde B Deelcertificaat
As the Mathematics curriculum of the IB did not perfectly match the requirements for getting into TU Delft, I had to get a separate certificate, equivalent to completing VWO Wiskunde B in the Dutch national curriculum. I earned this through independent study and completing an official exam. Worth an extra mention: I earned my certificate a year ahead of the expected grade.
Extracurriculars
Bachelor's Honors Program Delft (HPD) (2021 - 2023)
This is an intensive and exclusive extracurricular program in which accepted students get to take on additional courses on top of the regular Bachelor’s program, both broadening and deepening our knowledge and skills in the field.
International Scouting (2012 - 2021)
In addition, I have been elected Patrol Leader (in charge of 4-5 scouts and team leader in activities) for the last three years.
Wadu-Ryu Karate (2008 - 2020)
Competitive Swimming (2012 - 2015)
An overview of some of my other hobbies and interests outside of Architecture can be found below.
Work Experience
IB MYP5 Math Extended Tutor (2020)
In our school one class of 10th grade students effectively missed a year of Mathematics classes due to poor teaching quality. As a result, almost of them were failing Mathematics. I offered additional Mathematics classes and tutoring to three students from this class (all aged 15) in which I gave detailed lectures with aid of visuals, self-made practice questions of various difficulties, and plenty of homework, which they had not been given by in their regular Mathematics classes. All three of their grades have since improved from failing to well above the expected average. Currently, all the students from the class I ran have been accepted into a wide array of courses at well-respected universities (Medicine, Mechanical Engineering and International Business), which would not have been possible with the mathematics grades they were previously scoring.
English Language Tutor (2019 - 2020)
I tutored a Dutch girl (12) in the 7th grade learn and practice English. She had just started attending an international secondary school, and did not feel comfortable enough with her English to participate in class. By the end, she could speak, read and write English better than most in her class, and her English grade started to exceed her other grades.
Dutch Language Tutor (2015 - 2016)
I tutored three Australian boys, (one 10, and two 8 year-olds) who had just moved to the Netherlands and had started attending a Dutch primary school, learn the Dutch language, both written and spoken. Through reading and self-made interactive exercises, they became near-fluent speakers within two months.
Volunteer Work & Community Service
Volunteer 10th Grade Chemistry Tutor (2019)
I tutored a girl with dyslexia (15) at my school in 10th grade Chemistry (For the IB Middle Year’s Program) to help her pass the course and apply for Biology in the IB Diploma Program. By going through my old notes together, as well as her own, exchanging tips and tricks, doing exercises together and making practice quizzes for her got her grades to consistently improve from failing to above average.
Hut Building Weeks (2017 & 2019)
As a volunteer, I was in charge of one group of 4-7 children (ages 4-12) to help them build their own hut/tent in the woods while also helping to arrange fun and educational activities and workshops for the children to participate in. The initiative is organized by several local associations, and is meant to encourage children to play outside, socialize, practice new skills and learn about the world around them.
Skills & Talents
Skills
Teamwork
Leadership
Research
Design
Problem Solving
Reflection
Languages
English
Dutch
French
Spanish
Russian
Latin
An overview of all software I am proficient in can be found below.
Achievements
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Completed the Honors Program Delft (HPD) at the Delft University of Technology (2021 - 2023)
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Completed the IB Diploma Program (DP) with 33 points despite the COVID-19 pandemic (2020)
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SSI Scuba Diving Advanced Adventurer Certification: Nitrox, Deep (30m), Navigation, Perfect Buoyancy & Night Diving (2024)
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SDI Scuba Diving Open Water Certification (2019)
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Achieved Dutch VWO Wiskunde B Certificate (pre-university Mathematics), self-taught a year ahead of schedule (2019)
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2nd Blue Belt (4th Kyu) in Wadu-Ryu Karate (2018)
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Completed the IB Middle Years Program (MYP) on High Honor Roll (2014 - 2018)
Software
Modeling & Rendering

Rhino 6 & 7
This is the modeling software I was taught during my studies at TU Delft. It is useful for both 3D and 2D modeling. All of the 3D modeling that can be seen on this website, has been made using Rhino.

Grasshopper for Rhino
Grasshopper is a plugin for Rhino that enables parametric design. The program works by connecting modules together to, effectively, 'program' a CAD model. The benefit of this is that more complicated models, or models for similar components can be produced using minimal inputs.

Revit
Revit is BIM software, which means it is a smarter form of modeling that is more aware of what is being modelled. Because of this, more advanced functionality is possible, as well as communication and cooperative modeling with engineers, experts and contractors.

Enscape
Enscape is my rendering engine of choice, as it provides excellent options for lighting and surroundings. One of its best features is an extensive materials and model library, which can help bring a model to life. Most of the project renders found on this website were made using Enscape.

Lumion
Lumion is also a rendering program, which is capable of synchronizing models with Rhino, and also has a large library of assets to help give renders a greater sense of life.

Twinmotion
Twinmotion is another rendering engine, which makes use of Unreal. It features an extensive library of materials and models, but most notably, it has dynamic models, including animated characters and vegetation that appears differently according to the set season.

Houdini
Houdini is generally used for animation in the film industry, but in one project we used it to create a large parametric script to design an optimal building. This allowed for the building to be generated according to set parameters, input data and desired specifications.
Graphics

Adobe InDesign
Essential for anyone working with graphics, Adobe InDesign is for assembling and arranging graphics and text together into larger formats. Used for making posters, presentations, booklets and more.

Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is used to edit vector graphics. I usually use this to edit, decorate and improve drawings produced by CAD- or GIS programs.

Adobe Photoshop
Photoshop is used to edit raster (pixel-based) images. Particularly for converting hand-drawn work to digital format this program is excellent for clean up and editing. I have also used it to further improve render images.

Adobe Fresco
Adobe Fresco simulates the use of many forms of physical media, such as pencils, paints of all kinds, markers, etc. in a digital space. I use this to create that manual feeling in works that need to be used digitally.
Programming & Coding

Python
Python is a programming language which I learned during a modeling course and further used in one of my minor courses. It is useful in architecture as it can be used to go beyond the scope of many programs, including Grasshopper for Rhino and QGIS.

HTML 5
HTML is the format most commonly used for websites. During an elective in my Master's program I learned how to use HTML to produce this very website.

CSS 3
CSS is the part of Web-Design that controls the aesthetics of a website. It is what determines how the HTML is displayed on a website. I learned this in the same elective.

JQuery/JavaScript
JQuery is a plugin for JavaScript, specifically designed for web-designers. It is meant to simplify the application of JavaScript to one's website, which allows for greater freedom and functionality of a website.
Research Tools

QGIS
GIS is used to process geo-spatial data: data that can be tied to geographic features. QGIS is used to process this data and represent it in maps and diagrams.

IBM SPSS
SPSS is a complex data and statistics processing tool. It is used to find, select, use and manipulate data from large data bases. It is used to produce statistical analyses of data and to represent it in charts and graphs.

Excel
Excel is Microsoft's spreadsheet editing tool, and is useful for sorting through sets of data, producing graphs and charts. For architecture, it is also useful to produce dashboards for any calculations or data relevant for a project.
Outside of Architecture
Read more about my hobbies outside of Architecture.

Minecraft >>
More than just a video game, it is a method of 3D creation and exploration that enables people to build and design their own environment without fancy software.
Baking >>
Baking is an excellent medium to explore material properties and decorative techniques. As well as quite tasty!

Sand sculpture >>
Sand sculpture is, in my opinion, a seriously underappreciated art form. On a nice summer's day the beach provides an excellent canvas for expression and a fun time!