Designer of Matter. Maker of Spaces.
Matter Makers is an architecture and design studio based in San Francisco and Amsterdam. We design sustainable, community-centered spaces and objects that respond to the local context and culture.
Our iterative design approach is rooted in research and data. Whether we are focused on adaptive reuse, exploring material innovation, or rethinking typologies and systems, our work is futureproof and driven by circular design principles.
We partner closely with developers, artists, and fabricators to craft spaces that are precise at every scale and designed to last.
A bit about the founder
Antoine van Erp is a Dutch architect, designer, and maker with extensive experience in complex, international projects. After developing his expertise at studios including Heatherwick Studio (London), UNStudio (Amsterdam), and Powerhouse Company (Rotterdam), he founded Matter Makers to focus on matter as the starting point for design, combining a maker’s perspective with the social and sensory experience of a space.
His years working across diverse cultural landscapes have shaped Antoine into a collaborator with a unique perspective at the intersection of architecture and craft. With a focus on detail, he explores design concepts and translates them into physical form. Antoine’s work centers on creating spaces and objects that are future-proof, mindful about materials, and embedded in local culture.
He combines hands-on craftsmanship with theoretical understanding, sharing this approach with clients and collaborators. As a Lecturer in Advanced Architectural Design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, Antoine leads graduate studios where design concepts are explored through experiments in material, form and typology.
Antoine holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Architecture and Urban Cultures from the Technical University of Eindhoven and is a registered architect in the Netherlands (license 1.210913.003).
"Have a look at some of the projects Antoine was a part of as an architect, designer or maker in the last decade by clicking on the images below."
Little Island, Design by Heatherwick Studio, Role: Designer and Maker
Google HQ, Design by Heatherwick Studio and Bjarke Ingels Group, Role: Designer and Maker
The Vessel New York, Design by Heatherwick Studio, Role: Designer and Maker
Parfume bottle for Louboutin, Design by Heatherwick Studio, Role: Designer and Maker
Maggies Center, Design by Heatherwick Studio, Role: Designer and Maker
Interior design for Schiphol airport (D,E,F,G pier), Design by DUS architects, Role: Project Architect
Makerchair, Design by Joris Laarman, Role: Maker
Booking HQ Amsterdam, Design by UNStudio, Role: Architect
HVA university of Architecture, Design by Powerhouse Company, Marc Koehler Architects, Architecten Cie, Role: Competition architect
Pionier residential tower, Design by Matter Makers and Joost Maatkamp