Founder and Director of JDSA
Julien De Smedt is the founder and director of JDS Architects, based in Brussels and Copenhagen. Known for exploring new architectural models and programs, his notable projects include VM Housing Complex, Mountain Dwellings, Maison Stéphane Hessel, Iceberg, Kalvebod Waves, and Holmenkollen Ski Jump. Born in Brussels to French art enthusiast Jacques Léobold and Belgian artist Claude De Smedt, Julien studied in Brussels, Paris, and Los Angeles before graduating from the Bartlett School of Architecture. Before founding JDS Architects, he worked with Rem Koolhaas in Rotterdam and co-founded PLOT with Bjarke Ingels. In 2013, he also co-founded Makers With Agendas with William Ravn. Julien has received several awards, including the Henning Larsen Prize, the Eckersberg Medal, the Maaskant Award, and the Prix Dejean from the French Academy of Architecture. His projects have also earned international recognition, including awards at the Venice Biennale, the World Architecture Festival, and the ArchDaily Building of the Year Award. He has lectured worldwide and taught at institutions including MIT and Syracuse University. His work is widely published and exhibited internationally.
