Office Mien Ruys
At Buro Mien Ruys we offer various services in landscape architecture such as private gardens, large healthcare institutions, small roof terraces, parks, residential areas, industrial estates, both in new construction situations and in the renovation of green heritage.
Burophilosophy
The strength of our office is that we have a lot of expertise in-house within a compact team. Due to the close cooperation between landscape architects and technical project managers, we can make concrete designs, planting plans, working drawings and specifications, and subsequently supervise the implementation. We are able to work within a target budget and a tight schedule. For existing sites, we can examine the costs of current maintenance for you, and come up with creative solutions to generate more quality for the same maintenance budget. In this way, we can offer a suitable solution for every situation, for every question.
Design
Designing starts with searching for the right form, giving shape to space; we see that as the core of our work. Because a good design is timeless. A site plan that is in harmony with the environment and the building, good in size and proportions, where all functions have been given a logical place, is not subject to fashion. Designing is “looking and seeing”. What does change continuously are the materials, the 'upholstery'. We closely follow developments in paving materials and planting range because up-to-date knowledge of materials and planting is required for creating a good design.
Plantings
A good planting plan strengthens the design. However, making planting plans requires a lot of assortment knowledge about the requirements that plants have in terms of moisture, soil type, light and how they develop. It is not only about creativity in making beautiful combinations, it is also about knowledge of how to maintain this planting. Applying the right plant in the right place makes a design a success. Our agency has a lot of experience in this and we invest in keeping our plant knowledge up to date. Especially for public areas, we have developed a new low-maintenance, year-round colorful planting concept, Zorgeloos Groen, together with De Enk groen & golf, Boot en Co and Lageschaar vasteplanten.
Technology and implementation support
Our technical project managers translate a design into working drawings, with accompanying specifications. They can estimate the implementation costs to demonstrate that implementation is possible within a target budget. They can also arrange the tender and supervise the implementation. Because we work closely together within our office, the landscape architects keep a finger on the pulse during the entire implementation process. We commit ourselves to a fixed schedule and thus relieve the entire process.
Maintenance and management
The result of a design depends on good maintenance. We can also advise on this. We can describe the desired maintenance in a handy specification with clear drawings. You can also call on our expertise for existing areas. We can critically review the current way in which maintenance is carried out. After all, maintenance costs are fixed costs that recur every year. With a quick scan, we can determine whether the price paid is in proportion to the quality delivered. We can make proposals for transformations in the planting that can result in both an improvement in quality and a saving on maintenance costs.
Areas of work
We work on projects throughout the country, ranging from new construction projects to renovation projects. Our projects range from small-scale roof terraces, from private gardens to large healthcare institutions, from parks to business parks, from cemeteries to nature development. Our office regularly collaborates with architects, urban planners and artists in projects. The office is often asked to participate in the planning team for complex multidisciplinary design assignments.
Custom made
Every project is different, sometimes we start with a sketch and guide a process up to and including delivery. But sometimes the process is the other way around, and we start with a critical look at the management and start from a different idea. Sometimes it is desirable to call us in for one or more parts of the process. We do this as a close-knit team in close consultation with the client because giving good advice is always tailor-made. The rules of the DNR (the new regulation) apply to all our activities. Our hourly rates vary from € 70 to € 97 per hour excl. VAT and expenses, depending on the nature of the work.
History
Mien Ruys started her design career in the garden architecture department of Moerheim Nursery, her father's company in Dedemsvaart. In 1943 she moved with the design agency to Amsterdam. Here she had more contact with architects and artists. In 1979 the garden architecture department was separated from the nursery and has since continued as an independent limited company.
