XML Architecture Research Urbanism

XML is a young architecture practice founded by Max Cohen de Lara and David Mulder in 2008. From its base in Amsterdam, XML is involved in worldwide cross-disciplinary projects and has a strong interest in the cultural dimension of architecture. XML is committed to developing architectures that both reflect and provoke contemporary ways of life. By understanding program organization as a key strategy within each project, XML aims to establish new relations between buildings and society. Projects are fuelled by aninterest in the contemporary city as a source of cultural production anda strong dedication to the materialization of ideas. The work of XML is characterized by a research-driven approach. XML continuously operates on a wide range of scales, from developing a series of spatial scenarios for the 2028 Olympic Games in the Netherlands for the Dutch Government to designing a multi-use building in the heart of Amsterdam, and researching and designing the interior architecture of the plenary hall of parliaments. XML's approach and work have been awarded numerous prizes, including a first prize for Almerein the Europan 9 competition. In the Europan 10 competition, XML was the first office to be successful in three locations, winning a first prize for their project in Tallinn and receiving honourable mentions for their proposals in Munich and Madrid. The office has also received grants from The Netherlands Foundation for Visual Arts inrecognition of their promising contribution to the field of architecture. The work of XML has been widely published and featured in numerous exhibitions and institutions such as ‘Dutch Design Works’ in Shanghai and the Netherlands Architecture Institute and the International Architecture Biennial in Rotterdam. Their exhibition ‘Theatres of Democracy’ was shown at the Dutch House of Representatives in The Hague. Founding partners Max Cohen de Lara and David Mulder both hold a Master of Science degree in Architecture from Delft University of Technology. Before establishing XML, they worked for internationally renowned offices. David Mulder worked as an architect and researcher at AMO, the thinktank of Rem Koolhaas’ Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA). Max Cohen de Lara gained experience at the office of RyueNishizawa in Tokyo and the Dutch offices Maxwan and One Architecture. Both partners have been contributing editors to the independent bilingual architectural journal OASE and have published articles in a wide array of architectural and non-architectural publications. The office is continuously active in the academic field, having held teaching positions at TU Delft and currently at Dessau Institute of Architecture.