An Amsterdammer intrigued by cities and how people use, organize and perceive urban space. Earned a graduate degree in urban geography after studying economics and sociology (all University of Amsterdam), currently working on various projects and initiatives that involve research, writing and events in the field of urban development, architecture and local (social) resilience.

I try to look at cities from different - preferrably combined - perspectives. The implications of architecture and planning for the daily routines of urban dwellers are extremely interesting to me. I always try to figure out why cities and their neighborhoods do or do not work. I am constantly learning new ways to explore and decipher urban dynamics. Furthermore, I like looking at the very micro level of individual urbanites, community issues and placemaking, civic economies, psychogeography, social and economic networks, photography, public interventions and spontaneous urbanism, and endless other things related to the ever evolving organisms we call cities. I cannot get enough of urban histories.

As an independent writer, researcher, cultural programmer and consultant I work on a variety of projects. Two consistent umbrellas are Failed Architecture and CITIES, under which the lion’s share of my work has been carried out over the past years. Recently, Farming the City - Food as a Tool for Today’s Urbanisation was published, a book I edited.

I am always interested to get involved in challenging projects. This could go from writing short articles and organizing challenging events to long-term research or consultancy. 

Please don’t hesitate to contact me. You can send me a digital letter via mail [at] markminkjan [dot] nl or get in touch through social media.

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