We are delighted to introduce our new colleagues!

Why ECHO? What made you think: “This is where I want to work”?

“The designs by ECHO immediately caught my attention through their strong visualisations and compelling concepts. I really like how they create space for people and use, while also focusing on making our urban spaces as green and sustainable as possible. I find the city itself very interesting, and I thought it would be exciting to contribute to its design and development through ECHO’s ambitions.


On top of that — although I only discovered this later — I really enjoy the working culture here. There is a strong emphasis on collaboration, and I truly believe that working together is the key to creating the best designs!”

What gets your landscape heart beating faster?

“My landscape heart beats faster for cleverly designed and sleek third places, but also for all kinds of small-scale community initiatives and ideas (the beginning of systemic change!). I also have a great love for urban edible landscapes. Why don’t we eat more of our surroundings — and especially the plants we call ‘weeds’?!”

What do you enjoy doing most when you’re not designing?

“Besides designing landscapes, I spend my free time making illustrations, I’m always working on some kind of DIY project, and I do a lot of sports (ECHO at a triathlon in 2027?!). I also love experimenting and fermenting in the kitchen — preferably with ingredients from my own garden — and I’m always up for going out for dinner, to concerts, or dancing!!”

And we’ve heard you’re not coming alone… Who is your dog, and what should we know about him?

“Every now and then, skinny dog Peer comes along with me — our 1.5-year-old whippet. He loves sniffing your eyes, ears and the backs of your knees. He doesn’t always like being petted when he comes over for a sniff, but he absolutely loves playing with you!!

Other than that, he prefers to sleep on the softest surface possible, will steal your food and shoes if you’re not paying attention, and it’s almost time to get his winter gear ready (sweater + coat).”

Merel Graumans

Why did you think: ‘That’s where I want to do my internship’?

“What immediately appealed to me about ECHO is the way people and nature come together in the design. During my studies, I realised how important that combination is to me within urban planning. As I learned more about ECHO’s approach and projects, I recognised a lot of that in their work. After looking through the projects on the website, I was completely sold.”

Marijne de Jager

Why did you think: ‘That’s where I want to do my internship’?

“The collaboration between different disciplines immediately appealed to me. ECHO isn’t a large firm, but it works on large and complex challenges. The idea of solving these puzzles together in a compact team, with different backgrounds and perspectives, seemed like a really fun and valuable learning experience. ECHO felt like the perfect place for me to do my internship.”