The Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam today awarded Rem Koolhaas an honorary doctorate for his "outstanding services to architecture." Professor Lex Bouter, Rector Magnificus of VUA, conferred the honor in a ceremony including talks on architecture by Michel ter Hark, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, and by the Belgian writer Kristien Hemmerechts. In his acceptance speech, Koolhaas cited a "constant curiosity" as the driver for his work in both building and writing.