Amsterdam Noord | A Different Side of the City

Join Mitchell Rocheleau, Principal Architect of ROST Architects, as he travels to Amsterdam Noord, Netherlands to explore the thriving community that has been created here, collective housing developments, and the emerging experimental architecture throughout the city. He discusses with Jelte Van Koperen, from CityLoop, the latest urban developments emerging, innovative experimental architecture and the community that has formed in Amsterdam Noord. They explore the area once known for its shipping industry, which now houses the NDSM Cultural Center and analyze the deep history that is present in the area. With the spirit of optimism, the willingness to experiment, to create something with the conditions that they had at hand - the Dutch were able to create environments that promote authentic expression.

Architecture & Psychology, Architecture Today, HistoryMitchell RocheleauAugust 29, 2025walkable cities, urban design, Urban Design Amsterdam, urban architectural design, city design, psychology and city design, psychology and cities, psychology behind cities, psychology and urban design

Restorative Urbanism | How Designing for Human Connection Can Improve Our Lives and Cities

What if our cities were designed to heal? How can we design cities that offer places of wellness and connectivity?

Mitchell Rocheleau, Principal Architect of ROST Architects travels to Amsterdam to explore how Restorative Urbanism, an approach that analyzes how urban design can support mental health, has the power to foster change in our cities and our interconnected lives. He touches on psychosocial health, the importance of walkable cities, our sensory perceptions in urban environments, as well as his personal experiences in cities.

Architecture & Psychology, Architecture Today, HistoryMitchell RocheleauAugust 12, 2025restorativecities, Urban Design Amsterdam, urban design, urban architectural design, restorative cities

The Urban Transformation of Copenhagen

The city of Copenhagen embodies a distinct vision of urban life, and its inhabitants seem to thrive in this environment. It became clear after visiting the city that a high degree of thought and care had gone into its design, and there was a commitment to offer its people a high-quality lifestyle. I began searching for the formula for its success. Copenhagen seems to know something about how to live together and what life should look like in an urban environment that we may be overlooking in the U.S.

Architecture, Architecture & Psychology, Architecture TodayMitchell RocheleauJuly 30, 2025city design, designing cities, design of cities, urban design, urban architectural design, Urban Design Copenhagen

Values of the City

Understanding a culture’s collective psychology/values and deciphering how those ideas manifest in their built environment can help inform how we build cities for the future. Despite the importance of such studies, it is rare to stumble upon someone who writes about the intersection of psychology and the built environment, especially one who expresses ideas clearly and accessibly.