Menno Trautwein Architecten was founded in 2015 by Menno Trautwein and Isabela Ledo while they were living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Following their return to the Netherlands, they re-established the practice in Amsterdam in 2017.
The studio takes a context-driven approach to design, creating comfortable, sustainable buildings and neighbourhoods shaped around the people who use them. Each project begins with a careful study of the site’s qualities and the needs and aspirations of its users, placing people at the heart of the design process.

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Menno Trautwein holds a master’s degree in Architecture from the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture. Before founding the practice, he worked at Bart Duvekot Architecten, focusing on housing design at various scales, and later at UNStudio, where he contributed to large international projects, including the design of new metro stations in Qatar. His current work spans housing, office design and the renovation and restoration of historic buildings, often in collaboration with other independent designers. He also provides construction management and technical consultancy, and advises resident groups on renovation projects.

Isabela Ledo holds a degree in Architecture and Urbanism from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and a master’s degree in Urbanism from Delft University of Technology. Her contribution to Menno Trautwein Architecten centres on concept development, with particular attention to the relationship between buildings and their wider urban context.
Alongside her architectural work, she engages in research, education and consultancy in sustainable urban development, specialising in active mobility.