IDENTITY.IN is an architecture and research practice that is focusing on how local identity shapes space. We work across disciplines — architecture, landscape, research, education, exhibition design and branding — creating projects that connect people, history, and place.

Exhibition hall with white architectural models displayed on a black surface and visitors observing the displays in a spacious, glass-ceiling building.

IDENTITY.IN (formerly VISOTA) was founded in 2018 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with the ambition to apply a Dutch design approach internationally. The four-year international research project IDENTITY.IN TYPICAL became a turning point for the studio, leading to multiple transformation projects as well as exhibitions, publications, and lectures.

IDENTITY.IN works across cultural, public, office, and residential projects, always seeking to understand and foreground local identity. In renovation and transformation work, we focus on preserving existing visual and artistic qualities through precise, targeted interventions when necessary. In new-build projects, we begin with rigorous analysis of location, context, and target audiences.

Collaboration is central to our practice. We work with local professionals, institutions, communities, and artists to turn research into built transformation. We believe every project holds an identity to uncover and make visible—whether it is a building with a long history or an empty site.

IDENTITY.IN PEOPLE

A man with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a black turtleneck, looking to his right against a plain light gray background.

Alexey Boev

Alexey founded IDENTITY.IN (formerly VISOTA) in 2018 and has since developed the studio’s research-driven approach, focused on cultural infrastructure, social identity, and public architecture. His extensive experience in public and cultural projects has been central to the success of IDENTITY.IN Typical large-scale research and design work, and continues to inform the studio’s broader practice across multiple scales and diverse contexts.

Alexey earned his Master’s in Architecture from the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture in 2018. Since 2016, he has worked as an architect at Neutelings Riedijk Architects in Rotterdam on large-scale cultural and public projects in the Benelux and abroad, including the award-winning Gare Maritime transformation project in Brussels. He also teaches at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture and is regularly invited as a lecturer and critic by academic and cultural institutions.

A woman with shoulder-length light brown hair, wearing a black textured top, standing with her arms crossed against a light gray background.

Olga Chulkova

Olga joined IDENTITY.IN in 2023 as an architect. Her extensive experience in residential architecture and neighborhood-scale urban design, combined with a realization-oriented mindset, has expanded the studio’s capabilities. In transformation projects, she focuses on identifying local elements and opportunities for material reuse — an approach that aligns closely with the studio’s commitment to local identity.

Olga earned her Master’s in Architecture from the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture in 2019. Before joining IDENTITY.IN, she was a senior architect at MLA+, where she led the implementation of residential projects totaling nearly 1 million m². She has experience across all project phases, from concept to completion. She serves as a Professional Experience Assessor at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture and, starting in 2026, will also work as a Professional Experience Coach.