Designer of Matter. Maker of Spaces.
Matter Makers is an architecture and design studio based in San Francisco and Amsterdam, dedicated to creating sustainable, community-centered spaces and objects. Working globally, our designs reflect the spirit of their context and are articulated with precision at every scale, from the tactile detail to the urban scale massing.
Through a research-driven design approach, we blend creativity with sustainability to deliver innovative and impactful solutions. From adaptive reuse to material innovation, we focus on thoughtful practices that create lasting and meaningful change.
Collaboration lies at the heart of everything we do. Partnering with forward-thinking clients, developers, artists, and fabricators, we aim to craft projects that inspire and stand the test of time.
At Matter Makers, we design for the future, drawing from the lessons of the past. Our mission is simple: to create spaces that leave a lasting and positive legacy.
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