Hi there!
My name is Michelle Bettman. I am a enthusiastic designer with a range of conceptual and technical experience. I was born and raised in South Africa. A wonderful opportunity to do an internship first brought me to the Netherlands in July 2015. After completing the Masters in Architecture at TU Delft in January 2019, I decided to pursue a work career in the Netherlands. In September 2022, I completed the "Beropeservaringperiode" and have registered as an architect in the Dutch Architectenregister. Currently, I am working at GGau as an Architect/BIM Expert.
Key qualities:
- - Quick and eager to learn
- - Goal driven and strategic in planning
- - Modest and confident
- - I offer a light hearted perspective
Most recent work
Het Kwadrant, Maarssen The housing project consists of 499 appartements composed in two building block on a previous office and industrial zoned area. This was my first assignment at Klunder Architecten in 2022. I joined the team at the VO phase of the project. Currently I am making the drawings for the UO phase. It has been a valuable experience to see a project through from an early phase right through to the end. I have made tremendous leaps in my technical knowledge of constructing a humongous building.
Looking for a team player?
Architecture is a collaborative effort. Working through challenges and discussions with a group is more beneficial than only having an individual voice. However, for a team player to perform, careful preparation and quiet contemplation of the ultimate goal is also necessary to perform well. If you want a team player who comes well prepared then please be in touch.
Communication through drawing?
Architects have the competitive edge above other professions because architects can co-ordinate visions into a spatial dimension. I am a spatial 3D thinker, problem solver, creative and enjoy translating ideas into drawings and images. Want to find out more then please see my portfolio!
Personal manifesto
It's in the reach of my arms, The sun of my smile, The stride of my step, The grace of my style.
Snippets from the poem, Phenomenal Woman, by Maya Angelou.
Everyone has unique talents. Our interests and characteristics make us distinguishable from each another. Let me share with you the four main themes of interest that I refer to when designing spaces and engineering buildings.
Four themes present in my work:
- - Moments of enjoyment
- - Untouched nature
- - Light and shadow
- - Defying gravity
Moments of enjoyment
Elegantly setting the scene for everyday life events. A stage where everyday activities can become extraordinary. To be able to provide an enjoyable moment, I will input and adjust three parameters in an early design phase: form, territorium and cultural understanding of our build environments.
Untouched nature
Living close to nature is important for (mental) wellbeing. People can concentrate better in a green environment. Simple pleasures are found in observing wild nature instead of wanted nature.
Light and shadow
Daylight is a beautiful material to determine the atmosphere and above all, it is free. Think about orientation in relation to the sun, reflection of light, sizes of an openings and the angle of an opening. These factors have an influence on how the space will feel, warm or cool, dark or bright.
Defying gravity
I am fascinated by mathematical proportions between the lengths and widths of elements that together form a visual harmony between shapes and forms. Not as explicit rule but as a tool for composition. Within the order of the geometrial patterns, I aim to defy gravity of the structure.
