Ecology and energy management have become its allies, driven by a desire to combine traditional building techniques with technological innovations to invent a virtuous future. Belgium is no exception in this field, showing an eagerness to move away from concrete and to embrace experimental research by focusing on bio-sourced and living materials. One fine example is the Bento Architecture studio, which is exploring the qualities of mycelium, derived from mushrooms. It was one of the highlights of this year’s Venice Biennale. But what could be more alive than nature itself, which landscape architects are recomposing in their own image? Nature paves the way to a brighter tomorrow for the sons of Jacques Wirtz, Erik Dhont and Bas Smets, a path along which philosophy meets architecture. Philosophers and politicians will not be the ones to change the world, but, who knows, maybe the architects who rethink the balance between town and country will!

Studio Moto

We seek out the tension between the everyday and the adventurous

Together with Atelier Voor Groene Ruimte, Studio MOTO is currently finalising a master plan and new scenography – capitalising on the visual integration of art and planting – for Antwerp’s Middelheim Museum. Architects Mo Vandenberghe and Thomas Hick have been playing the wide, architectural field with Studio MOTO since 2017 with projects ranging from a landmark to the Wunderkammer Residence in Deurle’s Museum Dhondt Dhaenens, to residential projects or quirky furniture design. The Ghent-based architecture firm seeks out the tension between the everyday and the adventurous, fuelled by their previous work at Robbrecht and Daem Architects. On the radar: well-thought-out, innovative designs that dialogue with spatial, cultural and historical contexts.

Together with Atelier Voor Groene Ruimte, Studio MOTO is currently finalising a master plan and new scenography – capitalising on the visual integration of art and planting – for Antwerp’s Middelheim Museum. Architects Mo Vandenberghe and Thomas Hick have been playing the wide, architectural field with Studio MOTO since 2017 with projects ranging from a landmark to the Wunderkammer Residence in Deurle’s Museum Dhondt Dhaenens, to residential projects or quirky furniture design. The Ghent-based architecture firm seeks out the tension between the everyday and the adventurous, fuelled by their previous work at Robbrecht and Daem Architects. On the radar: well-thought-out, innovative designs that dialogue with spatial, cultural and historical contexts.

Studio Moto | The Westerpunt observation tower, De Panne 

Léon Stynen

He is one of the most innovative architect-designers of the 20 th century. An emblematic figure of belgian modernism, Léon Stynen designed the sl58 chair.

Léon Stynen (1899-1990) was an architect, town planner and designer all rolled into one. Influenced by Art Deco, he was also one of the spearheads of the Modernist movement in Belgium, and even dabbled in Functionalism towards the end of his career. In 1925, he won the public architectural competition to design the Casino in Knokke, demonstrating his predilection for an avant– garde aesthetic in line with the humanist ideas and utopias of Le Corbusier and Loewy that take on board the cohesion between interior and exterior, functionality and well-being. Léon Stynen’s talent for taking technical developments and putting them to an ideal use is reflected in his contribution to the construction of multi– storey office buildings and social housing complexes in the 1960s.

A case in point is the AXA-Royal Belge tower in Antwerp (formerly the BP tower), where a suspended construction system was successfully applied in which the façade wall was no longer load-bearing. He also built bridges, cinemas, schools, shopping arcades and, despite being a staunch atheist, the Sint-Rita church in Harelbeke. He was also active in teaching architecture at the Antwerp Academy and later at La Cambre. Numerous pieces of furniture designed especially for his projects can also be attributed to his genius, including the iconic SL58 chair, created for the Brussels World’s Fair and still available from Bulo. Made from curved beech multiplex, this chair embodies the quest pursued by every architect: timelessness.

Bart Gosselin | BP Building, Antwerp, 1963

Claisse Architectures

Through their residential projects, claisse architectures nurtures a dialogue between the old and the new, working from the inside out.

Founded in 1976 by Liliane Knopes and Joël Claisse, this architectural firm examines every angle when designing our living spaces. Whether tackling new build, restoration or interior design projects, creating made-to-measure furniture or meticulously selecting contemporary design pieces, it works by exploring all the functions of a space to create a harmonious whole, achieved thanks to constant attention to detail and a flurry of finishing touches. This spirit of unity is reflected in the approach adopted by these three professionals when working together on all their projects. Personal predilections, individual specialisations and critical opinions are always part of the mix.

Their custom creations, which follow no particular recipe or systematic choices, are inspired by a determination to fulfil and exceed the desires of a demanding clientele. A subtle blend of styles is distilled into their creations, striking a balance between sympathetically exalting the historic heritage and delicately integrating modern techniques to offer occupants optimum living comfort, such as directing their gaze towards a garden view. One of their latest projects is the renovation of a town house, where the warmth of wood meets the authenticity of marble to create a balance between soft and limpid lines. The timeless Scandinavian- inspired materials evoke a sense of calm and well-being. Their next challenge will see them take on the Art Deco style in a quest to give it a new modern slant and a second life.

Koen Van Damme | In Brussels, the rear façade of a neoclassical mansion dating from 1844, converted into six apartments

Steven Delva

“More than just designers, landscape architects also have the power to connect and to inspire, to think in economic and ecological development terms.”

Although he grew up in West Flanders, Steven Delva obstinately followed his dreams and, after studying to become a landscape architect, moved to Amsterdam to pursue a master’s degree at the Academy of Architecture. There he opened his own practice, Delva Landscape Architecture & Urbanism, which quickly expanded and made a name for itself. Extremely concerned about nature, he gives it priority, convinced that the landscape must be taken as a starting point in order to “make it denser, greener and more sustainable”, and has made his search for a link between economy and ecology a mark of quality. In 2021, he was elected Architect of the Year in the Netherlands.

He received further recognition in 2022, when two of his projects won awards. He received an Honour Award from the prestigious World Landscape Architecture Award – the equivalent of the Oscars for the best landscape projects in the world – for the futuristic Silt. Surrounded by dunes and integrated into an innovative seawall, the Middelkerke casino blends into a landscape that “rewrites the seaside town‘s historic relationship with the sea”. The complex optimises energy, waste management and production processes, while using recyclable materials whenever possible. Work began on the project in 2019 and it is set for completion by the end of the year. He has also received an award of excellence for his design of a 450-unit residential and natural development dubbed Geestwater in Lisse in the Netherlands, among the polders. “We are convinced of the power of our profession to respond effectively to the spatial challenges of the 21 stcentury,” he points out.

Sebastian van Damme | Thuishaven DELVA, a brewery transformed into a multifunctional building, 2023

Cyril Rousseaux

He will be the face of Belgium in Osaka and has designed this vibrant building in its honor, its heart intended to capture the warmth of our compatriots.

The La Louvière native has been chosen from seven candidates to design the Belgian pavilion for the World Expo in Osaka in 2025. This “Design and Build” project, developed in collaboration with a Japanese contractor, is based on the symbolism of water in its various states: solid, liquid and gaseous.

The first state is reflected in the building itself, designed as an icebox with a holographic panel that diffuses the colours of the sun through an ice cube. The second state is represented by the translucent material of the ramp, a water mirror and a central waterfall in the centre of a plant forest, while the third state is expressed in a cloud of ten inflatable balloons, a nod both to the ten Belgian provinces and to Expo 58 and its emblematic Atomium. Near these clouds, misters will welcome visitors on the rooftop. This is his first international project. The core business of CARRE 7 and its team of 22 employees – whose reins were taken over by Cyril Rousseaux in 2018 – is essentially public contracts and property development, without neglecting residential projects. Louvexpo (5,000 m2) is one of Atelier CARRE 7′s references. This convention centre, renowned for the versatility of its interior spaces, hosts a large number of events. Also in the pipeline is the construction of two stadiums, the 21,000-seat Charleroi Sporting Stadium and the 8,600-seat RAAL Louvier Stadium. Having already added a fire station to his bucket list, the architect still dreams of one day building a tower, a prison, a courthouse or a hospital, all of which are guaranteed to be architectural curiosities and sensations.

DR | BELGIAN PAVILION PROJECT in Osaka 2025

Hervé Vanden Haute

A resolutely contemporary architectural style with clean lines combining aesthetics, functionality and comfort.

Based in Walloon Brabant, the Hervé Vanden Haute architectural firm can draw on over twenty years of experience in designing and building private homes and undertaking renovation projects. The programme, orientation and environment serve as the starting point for the underlying research work. These constraints are taken on board in the approach to concepts such as space, light, views and living comfort, without overlooking the functional and energy aspects, as well as the budget. Each project is designed to form a coherent, harmonious whole.

This villa, set right in the heart of nature and an excellent illustration of the architectural style that has become the firm’s hallmark, boasts stunning views over the garden and a wooded valley thanks to the large number of bay windows. The architect has played on the alternation of full and empty spaces to allow his clients to enjoy the dazzling spectacle of the surrounding nature at any time of year. The internal layout of the spaces, the volumes and the technology ensure that residents enjoy complete autonomy. Well-being and aesthetics are clearly the watchwords here. archi-vandenhaute.be

Amélie de Wilde