Our Team
Our core team brings together expertise from architecture, product development and social design.
We work closely with architects who have lived experience in the shelter system. Their personal stories and insights shape every aspect of our work. Through partnerships with the Red Cross, Planemos, and current residents, we ensure our solutions are grounded in real needs and lived experience.
Architects and designers
Anneloes de Koff
Architect
I use architecture as an ‘antidote’ to change, through sustainable, well-designed buildings that endure and remain meaningful over time. Together with communities and colleagues, I strive to address social challenges and build environments that are positive, sustainable, and meaningful. These designs aim to create spaces that act as anchors: calm, bright, healthy, and uplifting.
Ana Mendica
Designer
Saeed Jarrous
Architect
For me, architecture is about creating spaces that work well and feel good to be in. I’m especially drawn to transformation and healthcare, where design can really improve everyday life. My experiences in the Middle East and the Netherlands shaped this into one clear goal: making spaces that matter.
Mariam Maihandost
Designer
I am an Architect and Urban Planner passionate about creating cities that balance sustainability, equity, and community well-being. My work spans housing, neighborhood improvements, and open spaces that foster connection and thriving communities. I see architecture as more than buildings—it’s about shaping everyday life. Through collaboration and clear communication, I guide projects toward meaningful, human-centered outcomes.
Obaid Salem
Designer
I am an architectural engineer and visual artist from South Yemen, based in the Netherlands. I work between designing built environments and exploring visual expression through form and image. I believe that architecture is not only about structures, but about how people experience space visually, emotionally, and socially. I combine technical expertise with an artistic sensibility, aiming to create thoughtful, human-centered designs that communicate ideas and evoke feeling.
Chorech Jegoebi
Architect
Born in the Kurdish region of Iran and forced to flee with my family at the age of five, I experienced firsthand what it means to lack a sense of belonging. During the journey to ánd through the Netherlands, from one azc to another, safety and stability were absent. Years later, equipped with knowledge in architecture and spatial design, I’m dedicated to adress social challenges. I believe that architects and spatial designes have a crucial role in this, since we’re the co-creators of the future.
Hend Charaf
Architect
As an architect who has lived and worked in Damascus, Dubai, Morocco, and Amsterdam, I bring a cross-cultural lens to my practice—experiences that reshaped how I see architecture. I hold a Master’s from TU Delft, where my thesis focused on everyday life. At De Wachtkamer, I designed the bed as a central element of dignity and privacy, drawing on my asylum journey and using architecture as a tool for dialogue, healing, and human connection.
Bono Siebelink
Journalist
I’m drawn to personal, intimate stories that open up broader societal and political questions. My work centres on themes of power imbalances, bottom-up citizen action, and urban development. I make audio documentaries that create a caring space for listeners to connect deeply with protagonists’ personal narratives and reflect on them. For De Wachtkamer, I produced a podcast exploring what it means to create a sense of home and to feel belonging, while navigating the asylum process. The aim was to humanise the experiences of those seeking asylum, countering the problem-centred narratives about asylum that too often dominate mainstream media.
Partners
The Red Cross provides crucial support by offering our pilot location, facilitating resident communication, and helping bridge the essential gap between design theory and shelter reality. Their expertise in humanitarian housing is invaluable to our process.
Planemos brings specialized construction expertise to our vision. As our production partner, they're responsible for transforming our designs into precisely crafted, installable products. Their experience in interior projects ensures our prototypes meet both functional and safety standards.
The Creative Industries Fund enabled our research and design phase through their Open Call Room for Justice program. This funding allowed us to approach the project with the depth and rigor it deserves, supporting everything from initial research to prototype development.
Get in touch
Interested in bringing Privacy Cabins to your shelter?
We provide hands-on support, including cost estimates, delivery logistics, and installation timelines tailored to your location.
