Rarely have I been so inspired in 6 days. The combination of head, hands and heart touches you on all levels in a fantastic, motivating and intimate environment. I look back with a very warm feeling on a very special and inspiring week.
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An inspiring, instructive and intensive 6 days about sustainability, building and building on yourself 
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A practical, professional and personal learning acceleration at a beautiful location, under the warm guidance of an inspiring man
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Jamie is a special and inspiring man with a sharp mind. He goes to the core of systems in a light but in-depth way and this is very unique!
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Unique experience in which you build on your knowledge and skills and also learn about yourself.
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The combination of head, heart and hands showed me how beautiful building really is.
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Testimonial by Prof. dr. ir. A. van den Dobbelsteen at the opening of the exhibition on 15 years of architecture by Jamie van Lede in the Centre for Architecture Haarlem 

In the late 1990’s while studying architecture at the Technical University in Delft, Jamie came to me for an internship at the Dutch Institute for Building Biology and Ecology, where I was working as a sustainable building consultant. That in itself was already quite special, as not many architecture students were then interested in sustainability, let alone specifically looking for experience at an environmental consultancy firm. Jamie was eager to learn and a pleasant colleague, but as is often the case with students we lost touch and I had no idea what would become of him.

Years later, I heard about his architecture firm dealing with vernacular design principles and how he had won the Dutch Future Energy Trophy. His was one of the few young firms that acted from sustainability principles long before the architectural world got its wake-up call from the likes of by Al Gore, William McDonough and Michael Braungart.

From a distance I witnessed Jamie's triumphal march with prize winning buildings and interiors, where he showcased that he also understands complex new business processes and is always looking for sustainable solutions. Jamie is a free spirit of the purest kind and I wasn’t surprised to find out that he later decided to pursue his career without associates and employees. He just isn’t the manager type that wants to direct others. Jamie wants to understand and be involved in all aspects of the process: the people for whom he is building, the philosophy behind the brief, the properties of chosen materials, the actual building process. He is in there all the way with head, hands and heart. 

Head, Hands & Heart was also the theme of TREELAB, the summerschool he organized in the summer of 2016 based on the conviction that architects need to have more feeling for materials and the  construction process. After all, the word architect derives from the old Greek root Arch-Tecton, meaning chief carpenter. This week in August on his farm just outside of Rotterdam made an eternal impression on the participants. Through philosophical storytelling, in-depth teaching, creative design sessions and physical labour while building a small wooden cabin, his students  understood, felt and reimagined what it means to build again!  

No one can predict what Jamie's next steps will be. Inspired by the many books that he reads, he will surely break new ground and again be an example to others. Knowing that it is the only way for humanity to survive, he will keep trying to bring man closer to nature and in harmony with himself. In addition, his reinterpretation of archaic and vernacular architecture will bring a breath of fresh air to modern architecture and society.  

I know few architects who work with such pure motifs. Jamie's drive comes from an ecological and social heart, his head holds the mind of a creative entrepreneur, and with his hands he can make things that many colleagues will not achieve behind their computers. This exhibition in the Center for Architecture Haarlem about his 15 years as an architect is just a start!

Prof. dr.ir. A. van den Dobbelsteen
Professor of Climate Design and Sustainability
Head of Department of Architectural Engineering and Technology
Delft University of Technology