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.

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

An overview of all software I am proficient in can be found below.