When you walk into UNStudio, an international, award-winning architecture practice, it’s hard to believe that the office of more than 100 began as 10 working from Ben van Berkel’s home.

The architect – who was born in Utrecht and moved to Amsterdam at the age of 20 to study at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie – had a varied education. While at Rietveld, he switched from graphic design to a product/interior architecture course. After graduating, he spent six years in London, where he studied at the AA School of Architecture before returning to Amsterdam in 1988 to set up UNStudio.

By 1992, the practice had outgrown the home-office situation. Now, with staff from 23 different countries and an Amsterdam office not far from the touristy Heineken Brewery at the top of De Pijp, UNStudio is setting up a third outpost in Hong Kong. The practice’s project list is just as international, with current residential work in London, Singapore, São Paulo and Australia.

“Whenever I fly back from any of the 25 or so countries in which we work, I think how wonderful it is to be back,” says van Berkel, 57. “Some of my fellow architects prefer Rotterdam because there’s less afleiding, or distraction, but Amsterdam is seductive.”

Time is of the essence to Van Berkel, who also teaches at Harvard University, but he admits that his studio never closes its doors before 10.00 pm (it’s handy that his house is just a few minutes from the office). He says that while the city may be relaxed for the most part, its attitude to design isn’t: “The design culture in Amsterdam is nicely competitive. There’s continual innovation. Civil engineering and infrastructure are so important. I like being able to contribute to that,” he says.

“There are low budgets here,” adds the architect. “Dealing with that taught me not to be scared of restrictions. The more complex a project is, the more excited I get.”

Click here to read Urbis’ Insider’s Guide to Amsterdam.