Sjoerd Soeters

(1947) is one of the leading architects in the Netherlands. Soeters became known in the 1980s for his brightly coloured and exuberantly styled buildings. The Circustheater in Zandvoort is the best known example of his early designs. In the 1990s his buildings became less exuberant, urban development taking an increasingly important place. In his designs he attempts to return to the intimate atmosphere of countrylife in the 1950s. His design for the castle Haverleij in Den Bosch is an example of this. In 1979 he founded his own agency with his wife Merle Soeters-Steffels. When Jos van Eldonk entered the partnership in 1997 the name was changed into Soeters Van Eldonk Architects. Between 1995 and 1996 he was a professor at the Catholic University of Nijmegen. Java Island in Amsterdam is another of Soeters' well-known designs.