After graduating as an engineer-architect at KU Leuven (2001), Kathleen Van de Werf continued her studies, and obtained a Master in Housing and Urbanism from the renowned AA School of Architecture in London (2002).
Since her return to Belgium, she has worked first as a freelancer, and since 2006 as a founding partner of BUUR (www.buur.be). Since 2019, Kathleen is Short Term Consultant for The World Bank offering urban design and planning advice to local economic development plan projects in Upper Egypt. Kathleen is currently president of the VRP (Flemish Association for Space and Planning) and a member of the Steering Group of Urban Insight, the international knowledge platform of Sweco Group.
Within BUUR Kathleen has managed a number of significant and highly sensitive projects, ranging from the redevelopment of major brownfield urban renewal sites in Brussels, Leuven and Mechelen, and strategic regional spatial planning projects in the north-east of Belgium and the region of Flanders. Internationally she managed complex urban renewall competitions and feasibility studies in Nantes (France), Sfax (Tunesia), Sohag and Qena (Egypt), and The Netherlands.