Dr. Marie Moors (°1994) is currently working as researcher-expert and teaching assistant at Hasselt University's Faculty of Architecture and Arts (BE). She is part of Adaptive Reuse Research Group TRACE. In addition to her academic role, she is engaged in architectural practice. She finished her Ph.D. —funded by the Research Foundation Flanders— titled "The Ensemble Unveiled - Research by Design in Adaptive Reuse" in 2024. Beside she is the secretary of DOCOMOMO Belgium, the Belgian committee of DOCOMOMO International which focuses on the DOcumentation and COnservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of MOdern MOvement.
She studied Architecture at Hasselt University from 2012 until 2017. In 2015, she did an Erasmus stay in Ecole Nationale Superieure d’Architecture de Saint Etienne, France. In her master’s she followed the seminar genius loci, which focusses on adaptive reuse of heritage. Her master project and supporting thesis deal with a strip of land at the Belgium cost site and the integration of several protected monuments within this zone. She became laureate of the Architectural Academic Award 2017, organized by Vitra. With her masterproject she obtained an honorable mention for the 27th Euregional Prize for Architecture, the selection of the shortlist of the European Architectural Medals – Best Diploma Projects, the first mention of the Vanhove Price UPA-BUA 2017, runner-up for the Vectorworks Design Competition Benelux Architecture 2019 and she ended up with the 8 finalists of the Young Talent Architecture Award by the Fundació Mies van der Rohe. As result, her project was disposed at the Biennale Architettura 2018 in Venice. Marie finished the first year of her internship at the office TeamvanMeer! in Hasselt. The architecture office is specialized in restoration projects and heritage all over Belgium.
As Found: International Colloquium on Adaptive Reuse, 2023
Transparency within the architectural design process assumes paramount importance, particularly w... more Transparency within the architectural design process assumes paramount importance, particularly when confronted with diverse and interdisciplinary design tasks and challenges. Accordingly, the objective of this paper is to scrutinize the potential inherent in harnessing architectural theory as both a source of inspiration and a methodological framework in the realm of architectural design. The focal point of this argument is the book titled "Urban Transformations and the Architecture of Additions" by Rodrigo Pérez de Arce (2015). Pérez de Arce explores the use of drawing as a methodology to identify spatial problems, analyze project contexts, and evoke new readings of specifi c case studies, ultimately uncovering potential "urban atmospheres". By incorporating historical elements through drawings of additions and transformations, he enables a sense of continuity within a site and introduces the concept of "new overlaying narratives". The emphasis lies on the modernist city, highlighting the importance of transformations occurring from within to prevent (further) fragmentation. Pérez de Arce's paper designs, created in collaboration with students, for new government centres in Chandigarh and Dacca, as well as 1960s housing blocks, demonstrate the resilience of modernist structures and their potential integration into a vibrant urban fabric. This paper proposes a rereading of Pérez de Arce's canonical essays, with the objective of evaluating the effi cacy of his lexicon and drawing methodology in uncovering the resilience and inherent values of a given site within the context of an ongoing personal architectural design. The present-day architectural design briefs are intricately infl uenced by a multitude of factors, including but not limited to climate change, emerging social challenges, urban densifi cation, heritage management, technical considerations, and gentrifi cation. The re-reading process will be applied to a specifi c case study, the 'Arena district,' a modernist postwar housing site in Antwerp, Belgium, designed by architect Renaat Braem (1910-2001). Currently undergoing a regeneration process, this project faces the loss of its celebrated ensemble value due to partial demolition. The paper begins with a concise overview of Rodrigo Pérez de Arce's book, providing a contextual background. Subsequently, it presents the selected case study as a testing ground for the drawing method. The utilization of personal drawings is advocated to foster architectural discourse and exploration. The conclusion emphasizes the value of employing a book as a resource in the design process, while a refl ective commentary deliberates on the integration of this method into the realm of 'education for reuse'. This establishes a vital connection between theoretical design research and the design studios, functioning as a productive laboratory. This paper is part of a PhD research entitled 'Belgian MoMo Heritage on the Radar', funded by the Research Foundation Flanders (1116421N).
This proposal elaborates on the ongoing regeneration of the Arenawijk in Antwerp (BE), a modernis... more This proposal elaborates on the ongoing regeneration of the Arenawijk in Antwerp (BE), a modernist housing ensemble, designed by one of Belgium’s most renowned modernist architects Renaat Braem (1910-2001), between 1964 and 1971. Over the past few years, a series of design competitions were organised to remodel the site, including partial demolition and replacement of the original blocks. We argue, however, that the underlying design brief of these recent competitions contrasts with the site’s unique heritage values, defined by the Flanders Heritage Agency as having “a significant ensemble-value”.
The project site is divided into different ‘plots’, caused by the dispersed ownerships. Furthermore, the program was fixed beforehand and focuses solely on housing, therefore losing an opportunity to open a debate on which type of programme would best respect the value of the site. A change of function can be key to tackling the limitations and restrictions a building from the modernist period comprises and can make it less dependent on strict performance requirements that are difficult to achieve or not applicable for this particular type of construction. This makes our case study a vivid example of the hiatus in the approach towards this modernist typology: the options for adaptive reuse remain unexplored.
The site has a very rich palimpsest as Braem’s design follows the outer circumference of the historical bastions of the remaining fortress in the heart of the district, now reused as sporting complex. Nonetheless, the Fortress of Deurne is a blind spot on the plans of the competing architecture firms. Therefore, this paper questions the loss of the ensemble-value. We use research by design to examine alternative interventions. New models are proposed departing from a holistic rather than dispersed approach, which heralds new insights. In a first set of design ideas the landscape becomes representative of the cultural expression of the site. The zoom out on different scales as the images show, helps to re-identify the fortress which is currently amputated from the surrounding green zones.
The paper starts with the rich historical context of the Arenawijk, based on archival research as the original design process was extensively documented. Secondly, the current debate about the site and the recent design competitions are explored. Next, the first design explorations and results by the first author are introduced and evaluated. In conclusion, we regard modernism as an unfinished project and its best moment is perhaps yet to come.
Webinar: Ho Chi Minh City: Identity and Sustainability, 2021
Have you been to New York, Paris, Naples or Amsterdam, and have you thought ‘this is such a busy ... more Have you been to New York, Paris, Naples or Amsterdam, and have you thought ‘this is such a busy but such an interesting space’, or 'I would love to live here'? I have! Ever since I have been inspired by those cities and their extremely dense but so attractive characters. I ask myself today how is this possible? What is it that defines the resilience and social as well as technical sustainable character of those cities?
This presentation is made in the light of a larger PhD research entitled “Re-reading modernist ho... more This presentation is made in the light of a larger PhD research entitled “Re-reading modernist housing estates: an inquiry into the value of threatened heritage sites and the possibilities of adaptive reuse as a method for re-evaluation” (FWO 116421N). ”History is repeating itself”: modernists preferred a tabula rasa to build on; similarly the ‘northern blocks’ of the Arena district are now being demolished. Nevertheless, the Arena district was a modernist housing ensemble, constructed around 1960 by the prominent Belgian architect Renaat Braem (1910- 2001). The current discourse on “transition” is strongly based on technical and economic needs. This logic often determines the regeneration (or destruction) of modernist heritage. But what is secreted in these lived-in buildings? Is concrete not a reflection of an intense ‘experience’ and transgression? In the tension between the modern sterile idea and the inevitable ravages of time, much potential is hidden. The essay by Bernard Tschumi in which he links the decay of a modernist building to its essence, is used as inspiration: “(...) the contradiction between architectural concept and sensual experience of spaces resolves itself at the point of tangency: the rotten point, the very point that taboos and culture have always rejected” (Architecture and Disjunction, 1994). Building further on Tschumi’s theory, it seems that decay has always been ignored by the Modern Movement. Modernists do not like decaying constructions. The first part of the presentation focusses on the site’s rich palimpsest. Secondly, the link between Tschumi’s ‘rotting point’ and the potential of the ruin is put forward. In conclusion, the endurance of the ruin, as sculptural and functional structure is explored. The methodology is based on literature review combined with research by design.
The 16th International Docomomo Conference Tokyo Japan 2020+1 Inheritable Resilience: Sharing Values of Global Modernities, 2021
The modernist housing project ‘Arenawijk’, in Deurne, Antwerp (BE), is currently threatened with ... more The modernist housing project ‘Arenawijk’, in Deurne, Antwerp (BE), is currently threatened with (partial) demolition in order to make place for a new, more contemporary housing development. The initial plans were designed by Renaat Braem (1910–2001), one of the most prominent Belgian modernist architects and urban planners. The Arena district can be considered as an interesting cohesion between the internationally acknowledged CIAM principles and the, sometimes contradictorily, personal theories formulated by Braem himself. Hence, the site is a very significant part of Belgian modernist heritage. Nevertheless, the project is not protected. The demolition plans were initiated due to various reasons. This contribution addresses the historical richness and uniqueness of the Arena district as starting point for research-by-design. It is assumed that precise architectural interventions, based on a process of research-by-design, may herald new possibilities for reuse. The first part of the paper is based on the emergence of the site and illustrates Braem, as polemic figure, in a broader context. A second part will point out the value assessment of the unique characteristics of the site, based on the first historical situation and the new layers added by Braem. In conclusion, some further research suggestions will be made.
After the discovery of oil in Kuwait in 1940, a tabula rasa of the historic city centre made plac... more After the discovery of oil in Kuwait in 1940, a tabula rasa of the historic city centre made place for modernist buildings and structures. However, the replacement of the original built fabric inhabited by fishermen and functioning as trade route from the Persian Gulf to Aleppo, was seen as an historical and socio-cultural loss; the same is happening today. In this light, the paper addresses the current modernization process of the city of Kuwait, which is resulting in the disappearance of modernist housing all over the city, in particular the ‘Al Sawaber’ housing complex. The first part of the paper presents a brief history of the various planning processes Kuwait went through. The emerging modern state embraced the 1960s utopian movement. And therefore, renowned members of TEAM X were invited to rethink the city of Kuwait. The second part zooms in on the extraordinary case of the ‘Al Sawaber’ housing complex; constructed in a period of modernist experimentation. Nowadays ‘Al Sawaber’ is being demolished, like many other modernist constructions in the city, ‘to make the Kuwait’s future regeneration possible’. Questions are raised about the arguments pro-demolition. In conclusion, we explore alternative strategies for urban renewal and adaptive reuse of the ‘Al Sawaber’ project. The analysis of the modernist approach of housing in the 1970s provides significant material on how to reuse this mass housing typology. Our personal project investigates the importance of the public spaces and the necessary economic development of the city without losing sight on the social aspects connected to a dynamic process of modernization. Therefore, it is important to enhance the potential of the existing built fabric, but at the same time invest in new functions that adapt this heritage to current needs.
Optimistic SubUrbia II - Middle-class large housing complexes, 2021
This paper is written in the light of a larger PhD research entitled BELGIAN MOMO HERITAGE ON THE... more This paper is written in the light of a larger PhD research entitled BELGIAN MOMO HERITAGE ON THE RADAR – ‘Re-reading modernist housing estates: an inquiry into the value of threatened heritage sites and the possibilities of adaptive reuse as a method for re-evaluation’ (FWO 1116421N). A considerable number of the urban settlements or high-rise estates, constructed according to Congrès Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne (CIAM) principles, are threatened with demolition following years of neglect/lack of maintenance. Notwithstanding it are all discursive segments of the post-war time period, they are in poor (technical and social) condition. Additionally, none of them is protected, which means that the path for demolition is fully open. This research opens up the visions by considering these ensembles as an opportunity to re-state and re-invest, instead of as an inescapable problem. Research by design is used as a methodology to develop new insights. Beside the fact that I am conducting research by design myself for two Flemish case studies, I am also intensively co-operating with master students to test the hypotheses of different regeneration scenarios on a larger scale of 13 case studies. The aim is to investigate the adaptive reuse potential of this modernist typology. For this contribution, I focus on the students' results for one of those 13 case studies, specifically the Jan De Voslei (Antwerp, BE). In the first part of the paper the general problem statement is introduced. Secondly, the objective of the exercise is explored, and an overview of the regeneration scenarios is explained. Subsequently, the students’ results that focus on the activation of the landscape values and the parasite-concept of the Jan De Voslei are presented through drawings and isometries. In conclusion, these first outcomes of the exercise are discussed combined with a personal reflection and suggestion for further research.
Het behoud van modernistische woonensembles staat vandaag voor materiële en immateriële uitdaging... more Het behoud van modernistische woonensembles staat vandaag voor materiële en immateriële uitdagingen, die vaak ook de authenticiteit van de site, in de ruime zin van het begrip, onder spanning zet. Er is sprake van tastbaar verval, regelmatig in combinatie met negatieve connotaties. Slechts enkele ensembles worden erkend als ‘erfgoed’; de meerderheid geniet geen beschermingsstatus. Dit betekent dat indien een project niet langer voldoet aan de strenge hedendaagse sociale huisvestingsnormen of wanneer de kosten voor renovatie of onderhoud escaleren, de weg voor sloop gewoon openligt. Het doel van dit artikel is om aspecten en kenmerken die de authenticiteit van naoorlogse modernistische ensembles bepalen, te schetsen en actief in te zetten in het debat omtrent regeneratie. De voorgestelde casestudy is de ‘Arenawijk’ in Antwerpen (+-1960-1970) van de Belgische modernistische architect Renaat Braem (1910-2001). Zijn gebouwen en geschriften sluiten aan bij het CIAM-kritische discours van na de jaren vijftig, maar voor een internationaal publiek is hij nagenoeg onbekend. De Arenawijk is in vele opzichten uniek: de typologie van de huizen, de iconografie van de beelden en de plattegrond van de organisatie van de bouwblokken die is gemodelleerd naar de contouren van een oude oorlogsvesting. Sinds 2018 staat het project vermeld als ‘Op de radar’ op Docomome.be. Dit Belgisch MoMo-erfgoed verkeert in gevaar omdat de afbraak van een groot deel van de site, in het licht van een totale regeneratie, reeds gestart is. De presentatie bevat een literatuurstudie over de betekenis van modernistisch erfgoed en onderzoekt aspecten die de authenticiteit van het wooncomplex (verleden, heden, toekomst) bepalen. We willen met deze case, concepten voor de re-activatie van de authenticiteit van de site onderzoeken. Met ontwerpend onderzoek als methode zullen regeneratie-strategieën worden ontwikkeld. Deze strategieën kunnen evenzeer voor andere modernistische ensembles, die op vergelijkbare manieren worden uitgedaagd, ingezet worden.
The thesis ‘Where people and music meet’ is an interpretation on the social force of the accumula... more The thesis ‘Where people and music meet’ is an interpretation on the social force of the accumulation of music and architecture. This work provides the theoretical foundation for the final project of studio P.R.E.T, the acronym of Personality, Recreation, Experiment and Timelessness, headed by Prof. Guy Cleuren. It is inspired by today’s realities, especially the refugee problem. It is an ambitious story about shared values with the aim to encourage people to think about today’s political influences. The methodology is a confluence of objective and subjective references. Literature studies and case studies form the academic basis, while informal interviews represent the real life opinions. In this politically driven times of change, there is a need for alternative views. The design studio offers the research field Ostend. The city does not utilize its valuable, cultural potentials. Therefore Ostend is the perfect place for an artful, innovative concept. The first chapter focuses on the binding capacity of music. Music is a universal language and has the power to wind up political stereotypes. This theoretical idea takes shape through the creation of a multicultural band of artistic political refugees in combination with the local harmonic orchestra. The following two chapters define the harmonious program and give an architectural description of the project site. The atypical findings in terms of dealing with heritage provide a surprising added value. The last chapter shows that a design, inspired by music, is powerful enough to bring people together in Ostend.
AMPS Proceedings Series 31 Transformative Teaching, 2023
In a time where students in design-oriented education are confronted with images and (digital) in... more In a time where students in design-oriented education are confronted with images and (digital) information in a fragmented and unstructured way, the need for tools to process this data in a coherent and structured way is prominent. Furthermore, to understand architecture as a cultural signifier, it is necessary to have sufficient knowledge of architectural history and a broad cultural background; especially in the light of writing a master thesis, a critical essay within specific seminars or an analysis of projects within the personal reference frame, being all part of the curricula of design-oriented courses today. However, we also notice that students sometimes struggle to collect and interpret events, edifices, and movements, ... in a coherent fashion. Therefore, this article aims to provide a method for students to identify, capture and compare information through the lens of architecture as a social construct in the format of the “thick timeline”. Additionally, this method can also be used as a teaching tool for architectural history and theory courses. This article is part of an ongoing Ph.D. research (funded by the Flanders Research foundation FWO – Fellowship fundamental research 1116421N) entitled ‘Belgian MoMo heritage on the radar, re-reading modernist housing estates: an inquiry into the value of threatened heritage sites and the possibilities of adaptive reuse as a method for re-evaluation’. We start from a conceptual basis by referring to Vittoria Di Palma’s Radical Thought where she positions history as integral to the creative process, similar to, for example, sketching. Secondly, we apply this to the “thick timeline” as a useful method in design education. The latest version of the timeline can be accessed at https://indd.adobe.com/view/2afec35b-5286- 49ed-9b4d-f02b947d0dac.1 We strongly recommend consulting the link during the reading of this paper, so you can experience, try out and practice the described aspects yourself.
Optimistic Suburbia 2 – International Conference Proceedings, 2021
This paper is written in the light of a larger PhD research entitled BELGIAN MOMO HERITAGE ON THE... more This paper is written in the light of a larger PhD research entitled BELGIAN MOMO HERITAGE ON THE RADAR-'Re-reading modernist housing estates: an inquiry into the value of threatened heritage sites and the possibilities of adaptive reuse as a method for re-evaluation'. Today, a considerable number of the urban settlements or high-rise estates, constructed according to Congrès Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne (CIAM) principles, are threatened with demolition following years of neglect and lack of maintenance. Notwithstanding the fact that they are all comprising discursive segments of the postwar time period, these estates are in poor (technical and social) condition. Additionally, none of them is protected, which means that the path for demolition is fully open. This research opens up some future visions by considering these ensembles as an opportunity to restate and reinvest , instead of regarding them as an inescapable problem. The concept of research by design is used as a methodology to develop new insights. Within the framework of the PhD research architecture master students have tested the hypotheses of different regeneration scenarios on a larger scale of 13 case studies. The aim is to investigate the adaptive reuse potential of this modernist typology. This paper focuses on one of the case studies, specifically the Jan De Voslei housing complex designed by architect Jos Smolderen (Antwerp, BE). In the first part of the paper the general problem statement is introduced. In the second part, the objective of the exercise is explored, and an overview of the regeneration scenarios is explained. Subsequently, the students' results that focus on an activation of the landscape values and the so-called parasite-concept of the Jan De Voslei housing complex are presented through drawings and isometries. In conclusion, these first outcomes of this exercise are discussed combined with a reflection and suggestion for further research.
The 16th International Docomomo Conference Tokyo Japan 2020+1 Inheritable Resilience: Sharing Values of Global Modernities, 2021
The modernist housing project 'Arenawijk', in Deurne, Antwerp (BE), is currently threatened with ... more The modernist housing project 'Arenawijk', in Deurne, Antwerp (BE), is currently threatened with (partial) demolition in order to make place for a new, more contemporary housing development. The initial plans were designed by Renaat Braem (1910-2001), one of the most prominent Belgian modernist architects and urban planners. The Arena district can be considered as an interesting cohesion between the internationally acknowledged CIAM principles and the, sometimes contradictorily, personal theories formulated by Braem himself. Hence, the site is a very significant part of Belgian modernist heritage. Nevertheless, the project is not protected. The demolition plans were initiated due to various reasons. This contribution addresses the historical richness and uniqueness of the Arena district as starting point for research-by-design. It is assumed that precise architectural interventions, based on a process of research-by-design, may herald new possibilities for reuse. The first part of the paper is based on the emergence of the site and illustrates Braem, as polemic figure, in a broader context. A second part will point out the value assessment of the unique characteristics of the site, based on the first historical situation and the new layers added by Braem. In conclusion, some further research suggestions will be made.
The 16th International Docomomo Conference Tokyo Japan 2020+1 Inheritable Resilience: Sharing Values of Global Modernities, 2021
After the discovery of oil in Kuwait in 1940, a tabula rasa of the historic city centre made plac... more After the discovery of oil in Kuwait in 1940, a tabula rasa of the historic city centre made place for modernist buildings and structures. However, the replacement of the original built fabric inhabited by fishermen and functioning as trade route from the Persian Gulf to Aleppo, was seen as an historical and socio-cultural loss; the same is happening today. In this light, the paper addresses the current modernization process of the city of Kuwait, which is resulting in the disappearance of modernist housing all over the city, in particular the 'Al Sawaber' housing complex. The first part of the paper presents a brief history of the various planning processes Kuwait went through. The emerging modern state embraced the 1960s utopian movement. And therefore, renowned members of TEAM X were invited to rethink the city of Kuwait. The second part zooms in on the extraordinary case of the 'Al Sawaber' housing complex; constructed in a period of modernist experimentation. Nowadays 'Al Sawaber' is being demolished, like many other modernist constructions in the city, 'to make the Kuwait's future regeneration possible'. Questions are raised about the arguments pro-demolition. In conclusion, we explore alternative strategies for urban renewal and adaptive reuse of the 'Al Sawaber' project. The analysis of the modernist approach of housing in the 1970s provides significant material on how to reuse this mass housing typology. Our personal project investigates the importance of the public spaces and the necessary economic development of the city without losing sight on the social aspects connected to a dynamic process of modernization. Therefore, it is important to enhance the potential of the existing built fabric, but at the same time invest in new functions that adapt this heritage to current needs.
Trace Notes on adaptive reuse N°2 On Modernity, 2020
In the aftermath of WWII, many cities in Europe suffered from considerable housing shortages, lea... more In the aftermath of WWII, many cities in Europe suffered from considerable housing shortages, leading to new housing developments, many of which were high-rise housing estates, built following the principles of the Modern Movement and CIAM (Congrès Internationaux d’Architecture Moderne). The ideology is based on the concept of the ‘Functional City’, implemented through ideas such as function-based city zones, with minimum dwellings together with collective infrastructures; low-rise and high-rise buildings in extensive green areas; the ideal of ‘air, light and nature’ combined with high-density living and standardisation; open ground-floor plans and pedestrian areas separated from traffic routes. In the context of an urgent need for housing, the strong, uncompromising approach was accepted without hesitation. Politicians and planners built according to architectural notions, in which high-rise served as a potent symbol of a ‘new architecture for new people’ in a modern post-war age of multi-family living, communal facilities and social equality.
Despite the lofty ambitions of the Modern Movement, many of these projects have undergone a critical shift in meaning, and are today associated with problematic living conditions, deprived areas, isolated locations, a low-income population, social isolation, pollution, crime etc. As a consequence, questions emerge about how to solve these problems, in many cases resulting in demolition, even of the most iconic projects, such as the Pruitt-Igoe in St, Louis, USA, or the Smithsons’ Robin Hood Gardens in London.
Despite the negative connotations of this architectural typology, some interesting refurbishment projects have been executed over the past decades, in which the pre-existing was not eliminated. This article illustrates three refurbishment projects in which the architects succeeded in adapting the original ideologies and aspirations of a different generation to those of today: Park Hill Estate in Sheffield, Kleiburg in Amsterdam, and Tour Bois-le-Prêtre in Paris. These projects will be analysed based on their origins and evolution, transformation, and re-interpretation of modernist ideas.
Costruire l'arbitare contemporaneo - Nuovi temi e metodi del progetto, 2020
Today, many post-war social housing projects all over the world are threatened with demolition du... more Today, many post-war social housing projects all over the world are threatened with demolition due to economical, social or practical reasons. In this light, the Flemish Government analysed the existing cases (circa. 1.600) and selected circa 100 post-war residential areas to the existing scientific inventory and made them subject to strict heritage regulations. This article focusses on the re-reading of the (un)selected projects of the inventory, as part of larger PhD research on adaptive reuse of post-war social housing projects. The PhD aims to investigate the potential for adaptive reuse of this building type by applying ‘research by design’ as a methodology.
This contribution (1) elaborates on the typological characteristics of post-war social housing in Flanders, based on the inventory made by the Flemish government and refined by the researcher and students (2). In conclusion the role of the inventory for research by design is explained.
REHAB 2019 - Procedings of the 4th International Conference on Preservation, Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings and Structures, 2019
This article aims to address the challenges of the Arenawijk of architect Renaat Braem (1910-2001... more This article aims to address the challenges of the Arenawijk of architect Renaat Braem (1910-2001) in Antwerp (BE), a modernist post-war housing project in Flanders. This district is one of the urban settlements in Flanders constructed according to the Congrès Internationaux d'Archi- tecture Moderne (CIAM) principles, but whose initial ambitions have undergone a critical shift in meaning. It has become fragile and vulnerable to mounting conservation costs, with demolition seem- ingly the only way out. The aim of this paper is to compare and confront the Arenawijk with the international discourse on modernist housing at the time in order to gain insight in the heritage values of the site but also as a source for its regeneration. By comparing the statements of the original CIAM congress texts with the implementation in practice, interesting and contradicting elements come to surface; which give interesting insights in relation to its future use or reuse.
As Found: International Colloquium on Adaptive Reuse, 2023
Transparency within the architectural design process assumes paramount importance, particularly w... more Transparency within the architectural design process assumes paramount importance, particularly when confronted with diverse and interdisciplinary design tasks and challenges. Accordingly, the objective of this paper is to scrutinize the potential inherent in harnessing architectural theory as both a source of inspiration and a methodological framework in the realm of architectural design. The focal point of this argument is the book titled "Urban Transformations and the Architecture of Additions" by Rodrigo Pérez de Arce (2015). Pérez de Arce explores the use of drawing as a methodology to identify spatial problems, analyze project contexts, and evoke new readings of specifi c case studies, ultimately uncovering potential "urban atmospheres". By incorporating historical elements through drawings of additions and transformations, he enables a sense of continuity within a site and introduces the concept of "new overlaying narratives". The emphasis lies on the modernist city, highlighting the importance of transformations occurring from within to prevent (further) fragmentation. Pérez de Arce's paper designs, created in collaboration with students, for new government centres in Chandigarh and Dacca, as well as 1960s housing blocks, demonstrate the resilience of modernist structures and their potential integration into a vibrant urban fabric. This paper proposes a rereading of Pérez de Arce's canonical essays, with the objective of evaluating the effi cacy of his lexicon and drawing methodology in uncovering the resilience and inherent values of a given site within the context of an ongoing personal architectural design. The present-day architectural design briefs are intricately infl uenced by a multitude of factors, including but not limited to climate change, emerging social challenges, urban densifi cation, heritage management, technical considerations, and gentrifi cation. The re-reading process will be applied to a specifi c case study, the 'Arena district,' a modernist postwar housing site in Antwerp, Belgium, designed by architect Renaat Braem (1910-2001). Currently undergoing a regeneration process, this project faces the loss of its celebrated ensemble value due to partial demolition. The paper begins with a concise overview of Rodrigo Pérez de Arce's book, providing a contextual background. Subsequently, it presents the selected case study as a testing ground for the drawing method. The utilization of personal drawings is advocated to foster architectural discourse and exploration. The conclusion emphasizes the value of employing a book as a resource in the design process, while a refl ective commentary deliberates on the integration of this method into the realm of 'education for reuse'. This establishes a vital connection between theoretical design research and the design studios, functioning as a productive laboratory. This paper is part of a PhD research entitled 'Belgian MoMo Heritage on the Radar', funded by the Research Foundation Flanders (1116421N).
This proposal elaborates on the ongoing regeneration of the Arenawijk in Antwerp (BE), a modernis... more This proposal elaborates on the ongoing regeneration of the Arenawijk in Antwerp (BE), a modernist housing ensemble, designed by one of Belgium’s most renowned modernist architects Renaat Braem (1910-2001), between 1964 and 1971. Over the past few years, a series of design competitions were organised to remodel the site, including partial demolition and replacement of the original blocks. We argue, however, that the underlying design brief of these recent competitions contrasts with the site’s unique heritage values, defined by the Flanders Heritage Agency as having “a significant ensemble-value”.
The project site is divided into different ‘plots’, caused by the dispersed ownerships. Furthermore, the program was fixed beforehand and focuses solely on housing, therefore losing an opportunity to open a debate on which type of programme would best respect the value of the site. A change of function can be key to tackling the limitations and restrictions a building from the modernist period comprises and can make it less dependent on strict performance requirements that are difficult to achieve or not applicable for this particular type of construction. This makes our case study a vivid example of the hiatus in the approach towards this modernist typology: the options for adaptive reuse remain unexplored.
The site has a very rich palimpsest as Braem’s design follows the outer circumference of the historical bastions of the remaining fortress in the heart of the district, now reused as sporting complex. Nonetheless, the Fortress of Deurne is a blind spot on the plans of the competing architecture firms. Therefore, this paper questions the loss of the ensemble-value. We use research by design to examine alternative interventions. New models are proposed departing from a holistic rather than dispersed approach, which heralds new insights. In a first set of design ideas the landscape becomes representative of the cultural expression of the site. The zoom out on different scales as the images show, helps to re-identify the fortress which is currently amputated from the surrounding green zones.
The paper starts with the rich historical context of the Arenawijk, based on archival research as the original design process was extensively documented. Secondly, the current debate about the site and the recent design competitions are explored. Next, the first design explorations and results by the first author are introduced and evaluated. In conclusion, we regard modernism as an unfinished project and its best moment is perhaps yet to come.
Webinar: Ho Chi Minh City: Identity and Sustainability, 2021
Have you been to New York, Paris, Naples or Amsterdam, and have you thought ‘this is such a busy ... more Have you been to New York, Paris, Naples or Amsterdam, and have you thought ‘this is such a busy but such an interesting space’, or 'I would love to live here'? I have! Ever since I have been inspired by those cities and their extremely dense but so attractive characters. I ask myself today how is this possible? What is it that defines the resilience and social as well as technical sustainable character of those cities?
This presentation is made in the light of a larger PhD research entitled “Re-reading modernist ho... more This presentation is made in the light of a larger PhD research entitled “Re-reading modernist housing estates: an inquiry into the value of threatened heritage sites and the possibilities of adaptive reuse as a method for re-evaluation” (FWO 116421N). ”History is repeating itself”: modernists preferred a tabula rasa to build on; similarly the ‘northern blocks’ of the Arena district are now being demolished. Nevertheless, the Arena district was a modernist housing ensemble, constructed around 1960 by the prominent Belgian architect Renaat Braem (1910- 2001). The current discourse on “transition” is strongly based on technical and economic needs. This logic often determines the regeneration (or destruction) of modernist heritage. But what is secreted in these lived-in buildings? Is concrete not a reflection of an intense ‘experience’ and transgression? In the tension between the modern sterile idea and the inevitable ravages of time, much potential is hidden. The essay by Bernard Tschumi in which he links the decay of a modernist building to its essence, is used as inspiration: “(...) the contradiction between architectural concept and sensual experience of spaces resolves itself at the point of tangency: the rotten point, the very point that taboos and culture have always rejected” (Architecture and Disjunction, 1994). Building further on Tschumi’s theory, it seems that decay has always been ignored by the Modern Movement. Modernists do not like decaying constructions. The first part of the presentation focusses on the site’s rich palimpsest. Secondly, the link between Tschumi’s ‘rotting point’ and the potential of the ruin is put forward. In conclusion, the endurance of the ruin, as sculptural and functional structure is explored. The methodology is based on literature review combined with research by design.
The 16th International Docomomo Conference Tokyo Japan 2020+1 Inheritable Resilience: Sharing Values of Global Modernities, 2021
The modernist housing project ‘Arenawijk’, in Deurne, Antwerp (BE), is currently threatened with ... more The modernist housing project ‘Arenawijk’, in Deurne, Antwerp (BE), is currently threatened with (partial) demolition in order to make place for a new, more contemporary housing development. The initial plans were designed by Renaat Braem (1910–2001), one of the most prominent Belgian modernist architects and urban planners. The Arena district can be considered as an interesting cohesion between the internationally acknowledged CIAM principles and the, sometimes contradictorily, personal theories formulated by Braem himself. Hence, the site is a very significant part of Belgian modernist heritage. Nevertheless, the project is not protected. The demolition plans were initiated due to various reasons. This contribution addresses the historical richness and uniqueness of the Arena district as starting point for research-by-design. It is assumed that precise architectural interventions, based on a process of research-by-design, may herald new possibilities for reuse. The first part of the paper is based on the emergence of the site and illustrates Braem, as polemic figure, in a broader context. A second part will point out the value assessment of the unique characteristics of the site, based on the first historical situation and the new layers added by Braem. In conclusion, some further research suggestions will be made.
After the discovery of oil in Kuwait in 1940, a tabula rasa of the historic city centre made plac... more After the discovery of oil in Kuwait in 1940, a tabula rasa of the historic city centre made place for modernist buildings and structures. However, the replacement of the original built fabric inhabited by fishermen and functioning as trade route from the Persian Gulf to Aleppo, was seen as an historical and socio-cultural loss; the same is happening today. In this light, the paper addresses the current modernization process of the city of Kuwait, which is resulting in the disappearance of modernist housing all over the city, in particular the ‘Al Sawaber’ housing complex. The first part of the paper presents a brief history of the various planning processes Kuwait went through. The emerging modern state embraced the 1960s utopian movement. And therefore, renowned members of TEAM X were invited to rethink the city of Kuwait. The second part zooms in on the extraordinary case of the ‘Al Sawaber’ housing complex; constructed in a period of modernist experimentation. Nowadays ‘Al Sawaber’ is being demolished, like many other modernist constructions in the city, ‘to make the Kuwait’s future regeneration possible’. Questions are raised about the arguments pro-demolition. In conclusion, we explore alternative strategies for urban renewal and adaptive reuse of the ‘Al Sawaber’ project. The analysis of the modernist approach of housing in the 1970s provides significant material on how to reuse this mass housing typology. Our personal project investigates the importance of the public spaces and the necessary economic development of the city without losing sight on the social aspects connected to a dynamic process of modernization. Therefore, it is important to enhance the potential of the existing built fabric, but at the same time invest in new functions that adapt this heritage to current needs.
Optimistic SubUrbia II - Middle-class large housing complexes, 2021
This paper is written in the light of a larger PhD research entitled BELGIAN MOMO HERITAGE ON THE... more This paper is written in the light of a larger PhD research entitled BELGIAN MOMO HERITAGE ON THE RADAR – ‘Re-reading modernist housing estates: an inquiry into the value of threatened heritage sites and the possibilities of adaptive reuse as a method for re-evaluation’ (FWO 1116421N). A considerable number of the urban settlements or high-rise estates, constructed according to Congrès Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne (CIAM) principles, are threatened with demolition following years of neglect/lack of maintenance. Notwithstanding it are all discursive segments of the post-war time period, they are in poor (technical and social) condition. Additionally, none of them is protected, which means that the path for demolition is fully open. This research opens up the visions by considering these ensembles as an opportunity to re-state and re-invest, instead of as an inescapable problem. Research by design is used as a methodology to develop new insights. Beside the fact that I am conducting research by design myself for two Flemish case studies, I am also intensively co-operating with master students to test the hypotheses of different regeneration scenarios on a larger scale of 13 case studies. The aim is to investigate the adaptive reuse potential of this modernist typology. For this contribution, I focus on the students' results for one of those 13 case studies, specifically the Jan De Voslei (Antwerp, BE). In the first part of the paper the general problem statement is introduced. Secondly, the objective of the exercise is explored, and an overview of the regeneration scenarios is explained. Subsequently, the students’ results that focus on the activation of the landscape values and the parasite-concept of the Jan De Voslei are presented through drawings and isometries. In conclusion, these first outcomes of the exercise are discussed combined with a personal reflection and suggestion for further research.
Het behoud van modernistische woonensembles staat vandaag voor materiële en immateriële uitdaging... more Het behoud van modernistische woonensembles staat vandaag voor materiële en immateriële uitdagingen, die vaak ook de authenticiteit van de site, in de ruime zin van het begrip, onder spanning zet. Er is sprake van tastbaar verval, regelmatig in combinatie met negatieve connotaties. Slechts enkele ensembles worden erkend als ‘erfgoed’; de meerderheid geniet geen beschermingsstatus. Dit betekent dat indien een project niet langer voldoet aan de strenge hedendaagse sociale huisvestingsnormen of wanneer de kosten voor renovatie of onderhoud escaleren, de weg voor sloop gewoon openligt. Het doel van dit artikel is om aspecten en kenmerken die de authenticiteit van naoorlogse modernistische ensembles bepalen, te schetsen en actief in te zetten in het debat omtrent regeneratie. De voorgestelde casestudy is de ‘Arenawijk’ in Antwerpen (+-1960-1970) van de Belgische modernistische architect Renaat Braem (1910-2001). Zijn gebouwen en geschriften sluiten aan bij het CIAM-kritische discours van na de jaren vijftig, maar voor een internationaal publiek is hij nagenoeg onbekend. De Arenawijk is in vele opzichten uniek: de typologie van de huizen, de iconografie van de beelden en de plattegrond van de organisatie van de bouwblokken die is gemodelleerd naar de contouren van een oude oorlogsvesting. Sinds 2018 staat het project vermeld als ‘Op de radar’ op Docomome.be. Dit Belgisch MoMo-erfgoed verkeert in gevaar omdat de afbraak van een groot deel van de site, in het licht van een totale regeneratie, reeds gestart is. De presentatie bevat een literatuurstudie over de betekenis van modernistisch erfgoed en onderzoekt aspecten die de authenticiteit van het wooncomplex (verleden, heden, toekomst) bepalen. We willen met deze case, concepten voor de re-activatie van de authenticiteit van de site onderzoeken. Met ontwerpend onderzoek als methode zullen regeneratie-strategieën worden ontwikkeld. Deze strategieën kunnen evenzeer voor andere modernistische ensembles, die op vergelijkbare manieren worden uitgedaagd, ingezet worden.
The thesis ‘Where people and music meet’ is an interpretation on the social force of the accumula... more The thesis ‘Where people and music meet’ is an interpretation on the social force of the accumulation of music and architecture. This work provides the theoretical foundation for the final project of studio P.R.E.T, the acronym of Personality, Recreation, Experiment and Timelessness, headed by Prof. Guy Cleuren. It is inspired by today’s realities, especially the refugee problem. It is an ambitious story about shared values with the aim to encourage people to think about today’s political influences. The methodology is a confluence of objective and subjective references. Literature studies and case studies form the academic basis, while informal interviews represent the real life opinions. In this politically driven times of change, there is a need for alternative views. The design studio offers the research field Ostend. The city does not utilize its valuable, cultural potentials. Therefore Ostend is the perfect place for an artful, innovative concept. The first chapter focuses on the binding capacity of music. Music is a universal language and has the power to wind up political stereotypes. This theoretical idea takes shape through the creation of a multicultural band of artistic political refugees in combination with the local harmonic orchestra. The following two chapters define the harmonious program and give an architectural description of the project site. The atypical findings in terms of dealing with heritage provide a surprising added value. The last chapter shows that a design, inspired by music, is powerful enough to bring people together in Ostend.
AMPS Proceedings Series 31 Transformative Teaching, 2023
In a time where students in design-oriented education are confronted with images and (digital) in... more In a time where students in design-oriented education are confronted with images and (digital) information in a fragmented and unstructured way, the need for tools to process this data in a coherent and structured way is prominent. Furthermore, to understand architecture as a cultural signifier, it is necessary to have sufficient knowledge of architectural history and a broad cultural background; especially in the light of writing a master thesis, a critical essay within specific seminars or an analysis of projects within the personal reference frame, being all part of the curricula of design-oriented courses today. However, we also notice that students sometimes struggle to collect and interpret events, edifices, and movements, ... in a coherent fashion. Therefore, this article aims to provide a method for students to identify, capture and compare information through the lens of architecture as a social construct in the format of the “thick timeline”. Additionally, this method can also be used as a teaching tool for architectural history and theory courses. This article is part of an ongoing Ph.D. research (funded by the Flanders Research foundation FWO – Fellowship fundamental research 1116421N) entitled ‘Belgian MoMo heritage on the radar, re-reading modernist housing estates: an inquiry into the value of threatened heritage sites and the possibilities of adaptive reuse as a method for re-evaluation’. We start from a conceptual basis by referring to Vittoria Di Palma’s Radical Thought where she positions history as integral to the creative process, similar to, for example, sketching. Secondly, we apply this to the “thick timeline” as a useful method in design education. The latest version of the timeline can be accessed at https://indd.adobe.com/view/2afec35b-5286- 49ed-9b4d-f02b947d0dac.1 We strongly recommend consulting the link during the reading of this paper, so you can experience, try out and practice the described aspects yourself.
Optimistic Suburbia 2 – International Conference Proceedings, 2021
This paper is written in the light of a larger PhD research entitled BELGIAN MOMO HERITAGE ON THE... more This paper is written in the light of a larger PhD research entitled BELGIAN MOMO HERITAGE ON THE RADAR-'Re-reading modernist housing estates: an inquiry into the value of threatened heritage sites and the possibilities of adaptive reuse as a method for re-evaluation'. Today, a considerable number of the urban settlements or high-rise estates, constructed according to Congrès Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne (CIAM) principles, are threatened with demolition following years of neglect and lack of maintenance. Notwithstanding the fact that they are all comprising discursive segments of the postwar time period, these estates are in poor (technical and social) condition. Additionally, none of them is protected, which means that the path for demolition is fully open. This research opens up some future visions by considering these ensembles as an opportunity to restate and reinvest , instead of regarding them as an inescapable problem. The concept of research by design is used as a methodology to develop new insights. Within the framework of the PhD research architecture master students have tested the hypotheses of different regeneration scenarios on a larger scale of 13 case studies. The aim is to investigate the adaptive reuse potential of this modernist typology. This paper focuses on one of the case studies, specifically the Jan De Voslei housing complex designed by architect Jos Smolderen (Antwerp, BE). In the first part of the paper the general problem statement is introduced. In the second part, the objective of the exercise is explored, and an overview of the regeneration scenarios is explained. Subsequently, the students' results that focus on an activation of the landscape values and the so-called parasite-concept of the Jan De Voslei housing complex are presented through drawings and isometries. In conclusion, these first outcomes of this exercise are discussed combined with a reflection and suggestion for further research.
The 16th International Docomomo Conference Tokyo Japan 2020+1 Inheritable Resilience: Sharing Values of Global Modernities, 2021
The modernist housing project 'Arenawijk', in Deurne, Antwerp (BE), is currently threatened with ... more The modernist housing project 'Arenawijk', in Deurne, Antwerp (BE), is currently threatened with (partial) demolition in order to make place for a new, more contemporary housing development. The initial plans were designed by Renaat Braem (1910-2001), one of the most prominent Belgian modernist architects and urban planners. The Arena district can be considered as an interesting cohesion between the internationally acknowledged CIAM principles and the, sometimes contradictorily, personal theories formulated by Braem himself. Hence, the site is a very significant part of Belgian modernist heritage. Nevertheless, the project is not protected. The demolition plans were initiated due to various reasons. This contribution addresses the historical richness and uniqueness of the Arena district as starting point for research-by-design. It is assumed that precise architectural interventions, based on a process of research-by-design, may herald new possibilities for reuse. The first part of the paper is based on the emergence of the site and illustrates Braem, as polemic figure, in a broader context. A second part will point out the value assessment of the unique characteristics of the site, based on the first historical situation and the new layers added by Braem. In conclusion, some further research suggestions will be made.
The 16th International Docomomo Conference Tokyo Japan 2020+1 Inheritable Resilience: Sharing Values of Global Modernities, 2021
After the discovery of oil in Kuwait in 1940, a tabula rasa of the historic city centre made plac... more After the discovery of oil in Kuwait in 1940, a tabula rasa of the historic city centre made place for modernist buildings and structures. However, the replacement of the original built fabric inhabited by fishermen and functioning as trade route from the Persian Gulf to Aleppo, was seen as an historical and socio-cultural loss; the same is happening today. In this light, the paper addresses the current modernization process of the city of Kuwait, which is resulting in the disappearance of modernist housing all over the city, in particular the 'Al Sawaber' housing complex. The first part of the paper presents a brief history of the various planning processes Kuwait went through. The emerging modern state embraced the 1960s utopian movement. And therefore, renowned members of TEAM X were invited to rethink the city of Kuwait. The second part zooms in on the extraordinary case of the 'Al Sawaber' housing complex; constructed in a period of modernist experimentation. Nowadays 'Al Sawaber' is being demolished, like many other modernist constructions in the city, 'to make the Kuwait's future regeneration possible'. Questions are raised about the arguments pro-demolition. In conclusion, we explore alternative strategies for urban renewal and adaptive reuse of the 'Al Sawaber' project. The analysis of the modernist approach of housing in the 1970s provides significant material on how to reuse this mass housing typology. Our personal project investigates the importance of the public spaces and the necessary economic development of the city without losing sight on the social aspects connected to a dynamic process of modernization. Therefore, it is important to enhance the potential of the existing built fabric, but at the same time invest in new functions that adapt this heritage to current needs.
Trace Notes on adaptive reuse N°2 On Modernity, 2020
In the aftermath of WWII, many cities in Europe suffered from considerable housing shortages, lea... more In the aftermath of WWII, many cities in Europe suffered from considerable housing shortages, leading to new housing developments, many of which were high-rise housing estates, built following the principles of the Modern Movement and CIAM (Congrès Internationaux d’Architecture Moderne). The ideology is based on the concept of the ‘Functional City’, implemented through ideas such as function-based city zones, with minimum dwellings together with collective infrastructures; low-rise and high-rise buildings in extensive green areas; the ideal of ‘air, light and nature’ combined with high-density living and standardisation; open ground-floor plans and pedestrian areas separated from traffic routes. In the context of an urgent need for housing, the strong, uncompromising approach was accepted without hesitation. Politicians and planners built according to architectural notions, in which high-rise served as a potent symbol of a ‘new architecture for new people’ in a modern post-war age of multi-family living, communal facilities and social equality.
Despite the lofty ambitions of the Modern Movement, many of these projects have undergone a critical shift in meaning, and are today associated with problematic living conditions, deprived areas, isolated locations, a low-income population, social isolation, pollution, crime etc. As a consequence, questions emerge about how to solve these problems, in many cases resulting in demolition, even of the most iconic projects, such as the Pruitt-Igoe in St, Louis, USA, or the Smithsons’ Robin Hood Gardens in London.
Despite the negative connotations of this architectural typology, some interesting refurbishment projects have been executed over the past decades, in which the pre-existing was not eliminated. This article illustrates three refurbishment projects in which the architects succeeded in adapting the original ideologies and aspirations of a different generation to those of today: Park Hill Estate in Sheffield, Kleiburg in Amsterdam, and Tour Bois-le-Prêtre in Paris. These projects will be analysed based on their origins and evolution, transformation, and re-interpretation of modernist ideas.
Costruire l'arbitare contemporaneo - Nuovi temi e metodi del progetto, 2020
Today, many post-war social housing projects all over the world are threatened with demolition du... more Today, many post-war social housing projects all over the world are threatened with demolition due to economical, social or practical reasons. In this light, the Flemish Government analysed the existing cases (circa. 1.600) and selected circa 100 post-war residential areas to the existing scientific inventory and made them subject to strict heritage regulations. This article focusses on the re-reading of the (un)selected projects of the inventory, as part of larger PhD research on adaptive reuse of post-war social housing projects. The PhD aims to investigate the potential for adaptive reuse of this building type by applying ‘research by design’ as a methodology.
This contribution (1) elaborates on the typological characteristics of post-war social housing in Flanders, based on the inventory made by the Flemish government and refined by the researcher and students (2). In conclusion the role of the inventory for research by design is explained.
REHAB 2019 - Procedings of the 4th International Conference on Preservation, Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings and Structures, 2019
This article aims to address the challenges of the Arenawijk of architect Renaat Braem (1910-2001... more This article aims to address the challenges of the Arenawijk of architect Renaat Braem (1910-2001) in Antwerp (BE), a modernist post-war housing project in Flanders. This district is one of the urban settlements in Flanders constructed according to the Congrès Internationaux d'Archi- tecture Moderne (CIAM) principles, but whose initial ambitions have undergone a critical shift in meaning. It has become fragile and vulnerable to mounting conservation costs, with demolition seem- ingly the only way out. The aim of this paper is to compare and confront the Arenawijk with the international discourse on modernist housing at the time in order to gain insight in the heritage values of the site but also as a source for its regeneration. By comparing the statements of the original CIAM congress texts with the implementation in practice, interesting and contradicting elements come to surface; which give interesting insights in relation to its future use or reuse.
Renaat Braem's Arenawijk in Antwerp is a key example of Belgian postwar modernism, representing t... more Renaat Braem's Arenawijk in Antwerp is a key example of Belgian postwar modernism, representing the development of social housing as a state-building enterprise. Considering the building's continuous use and current redevelopment, this paper explores the expansion of Belgium's current legal heritage protection, which is based on heritage values. Additional 'intentional values' would focus on the intrinsic meaning of the building and aim to strengthen the building's heritage values, albeit from a different perspective. Strategies, including research-by-design, uncover the hidden potentialities of the existing building and reveal a variety of options and ideas for change.
Plevoets, B., Van Den Bosch, L., & Vande Keere, N. (2019). The church of St. Alena in Brussels. V... more Plevoets, B., Van Den Bosch, L., & Vande Keere, N. (2019). The church of St. Alena in Brussels. Vatican II as a source for adaptive reuse. TRACE - Notes on Adaptive Reuse, 2(1), 27-36.
The project site is situated at the seafront of Ostend. The city is struggling with infrastructur... more The project site is situated at the seafront of Ostend. The city is struggling with infrastructural problems due to the rising sea level. But the sea also opens up perspectives for an increasing amount of refugees. The citadel of tides unites the cultural and pragmatic necessary aspects. It is our responsibility to open up the eyes to the mutual benefits.
This building is a linear interference in the existing landscape. The alternating walls and columns rise up from the ground. Due to the rising sea level the flood risk after a storm increases tremendously. Therefore buffer basins are integrated in the thickness of the walls. The space in between the walls is empty. Emptiness stimulates creativity. What if a refugee gets the opportunity to play the main role in a new metro pole of subcultures? As the sand blows trough the openings, the building is permanently in alteration. The hollowness is filled by sand, as the refugees gently continue their travel. Before summer arrives we use the captured sand to reconstruct the Belgian beaches.
On the macro level the project has its own identity due to its scale, roughness and strong presence. As the beach situated in front of the project site is removed, the sea is up against the existing galleries. On the one hand this intervention is necessary to install the ‘Wave dragon’. On the other hand the conventional ‘beach walk’ is now taken through the building itself. That is the reason for the citadel’s appearance as an artificial dune landscape. The axle lines of the Venetian and Royal galleries served as the structural inspiration for the design of the building. The walls appear as duing races holding the sand together. The platforms are built like terraces, to ensure the continuous sea view on different levels. All the floors of the citadel are accessible for everyone at any time; horizontally by means of slopes and vertically by means of lifts and stairs. The three lift shafts ensure the stability of the construction. The connection between the beams and the columns is invisible, and is called the BFS-system, reproducible to infinity and contrasting with the uncontrollability of nature. ‘Structure is the maker of light. A column and a column brings light between. It is darkness – light; darkness – light; darkness –light.’, Louis Kahn (2013) in The power of architecture, Weil am Rhein: Vitra Design Museum. The building is like a music score: a suggestion for a performance in which freedom, initiative and self-organisation play the leading role. I want to upgrade the temporary character of a refugee’s stay in Ostend. Let culture make the difference in all its rich variety. In order to adjust the building to temporary functions, tarps can be hanged between the walls or containers for multiple purposes can be placed on railing systems. The structure is calculated on a big amount of weights. Are we, as society, ready to give the Atlantic wall a second chance as a citadel for subcultures? Only if people open their eyes to the mutual benefits of this project. ‘The refugee is like a migratory bird nourishing in Ostend before flying on to England’. With sight on England we think about our lost visitors.
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The project site is divided into different ‘plots’, caused by the dispersed ownerships. Furthermore, the program was fixed beforehand and focuses solely on housing, therefore losing an opportunity to open a debate on which type of programme would best respect the value of the site. A change of function can be key to tackling the limitations and restrictions a building from the modernist period comprises and can make it less dependent on strict performance requirements that are difficult to achieve or not applicable for this particular type of construction. This makes our case study a vivid example of the hiatus in the approach towards this modernist typology: the options for adaptive reuse remain unexplored.
The site has a very rich palimpsest as Braem’s design follows the outer circumference of the historical bastions of the remaining fortress in the heart of the district, now reused as sporting complex. Nonetheless, the Fortress of Deurne is a blind spot on the plans of the competing architecture firms. Therefore, this paper questions the loss of the ensemble-value. We use research by design to examine alternative interventions. New models are proposed departing from a holistic rather than dispersed approach, which heralds new insights. In a first set of design ideas the landscape becomes representative of the cultural expression of the site. The zoom out on different scales as the images show, helps to re-identify the fortress which is currently amputated from the surrounding green zones.
The paper starts with the rich historical context of the Arenawijk, based on archival research as the original design process was extensively documented. Secondly, the current debate about the site and the recent design competitions are explored. Next, the first design explorations and results by the first author are introduced and evaluated. In conclusion, we regard modernism as an unfinished project and its best moment is perhaps yet to come.
“(...) the contradiction between architectural concept and sensual experience of spaces resolves itself at the point of tangency: the rotten point, the very point that taboos and culture have always rejected” (Architecture and Disjunction, 1994).
Building further on Tschumi’s theory, it seems that decay has always been ignored by the Modern Movement. Modernists do not like decaying constructions. The first part of the presentation focusses on the site’s rich palimpsest. Secondly, the link between Tschumi’s ‘rotting point’ and the potential of the ruin is put forward. In conclusion, the endurance of the ruin, as sculptural and functional structure is explored. The methodology is based on literature review combined with research by design.
The methodology is a confluence of objective and subjective references. Literature studies and case studies form the academic basis, while informal interviews represent the real life opinions.
In this politically driven times of change, there is a need for alternative views. The design studio offers the research field Ostend. The city does not utilize its valuable, cultural potentials. Therefore Ostend is the perfect place for an artful, innovative concept.
The first chapter focuses on the binding capacity of music. Music is a universal language and has the power to wind up political stereotypes. This theoretical idea takes shape through the creation of a multicultural band of artistic political refugees in combination with the local harmonic orchestra. The following two chapters define the harmonious program and give an architectural description of the project site. The atypical findings in terms of dealing with heritage provide a surprising added value. The last chapter shows that a design, inspired by music, is powerful enough to bring people together in Ostend.
Supervisor: Bie Plevoets - Hasselt University
This article is part of an ongoing Ph.D. research (funded by the Flanders Research foundation FWO – Fellowship fundamental research 1116421N) entitled ‘Belgian MoMo heritage on the radar, re-reading modernist housing estates: an inquiry into the value of threatened heritage sites and the possibilities of adaptive reuse as a method for re-evaluation’.
We start from a conceptual basis by referring to Vittoria Di Palma’s Radical Thought where she positions history as integral to the creative process, similar to, for example, sketching. Secondly, we apply this to the “thick timeline” as a useful method in design education. The latest version of the timeline can be accessed at https://indd.adobe.com/view/2afec35b-5286- 49ed-9b4d-f02b947d0dac.1 We strongly recommend consulting the link during the reading of this paper, so you can experience, try out and practice the described aspects yourself.
Despite the lofty ambitions of the Modern Movement, many of these projects have undergone a critical shift in meaning, and are today associated with problematic living conditions, deprived areas, isolated locations, a low-income population, social isolation, pollution, crime etc. As a consequence, questions emerge about how to solve these problems, in many cases resulting in demolition, even of the most iconic projects, such as the Pruitt-Igoe in St, Louis, USA, or the Smithsons’ Robin Hood Gardens in London.
Despite the negative connotations of this architectural typology, some interesting refurbishment projects have been executed over the past decades, in which the pre-existing was not eliminated. This article illustrates three refurbishment projects in which the architects succeeded in adapting the original ideologies and aspirations of a different generation to those of today: Park Hill Estate in Sheffield, Kleiburg in Amsterdam, and Tour Bois-le-Prêtre in Paris. These projects will be analysed based on their origins and evolution, transformation, and re-interpretation of modernist ideas.
This contribution (1) elaborates on the typological characteristics of post-war social housing in Flanders, based on the inventory made by the Flemish government and refined by the researcher and students (2). In conclusion the role of the inventory for research by design is explained.
The project site is divided into different ‘plots’, caused by the dispersed ownerships. Furthermore, the program was fixed beforehand and focuses solely on housing, therefore losing an opportunity to open a debate on which type of programme would best respect the value of the site. A change of function can be key to tackling the limitations and restrictions a building from the modernist period comprises and can make it less dependent on strict performance requirements that are difficult to achieve or not applicable for this particular type of construction. This makes our case study a vivid example of the hiatus in the approach towards this modernist typology: the options for adaptive reuse remain unexplored.
The site has a very rich palimpsest as Braem’s design follows the outer circumference of the historical bastions of the remaining fortress in the heart of the district, now reused as sporting complex. Nonetheless, the Fortress of Deurne is a blind spot on the plans of the competing architecture firms. Therefore, this paper questions the loss of the ensemble-value. We use research by design to examine alternative interventions. New models are proposed departing from a holistic rather than dispersed approach, which heralds new insights. In a first set of design ideas the landscape becomes representative of the cultural expression of the site. The zoom out on different scales as the images show, helps to re-identify the fortress which is currently amputated from the surrounding green zones.
The paper starts with the rich historical context of the Arenawijk, based on archival research as the original design process was extensively documented. Secondly, the current debate about the site and the recent design competitions are explored. Next, the first design explorations and results by the first author are introduced and evaluated. In conclusion, we regard modernism as an unfinished project and its best moment is perhaps yet to come.
“(...) the contradiction between architectural concept and sensual experience of spaces resolves itself at the point of tangency: the rotten point, the very point that taboos and culture have always rejected” (Architecture and Disjunction, 1994).
Building further on Tschumi’s theory, it seems that decay has always been ignored by the Modern Movement. Modernists do not like decaying constructions. The first part of the presentation focusses on the site’s rich palimpsest. Secondly, the link between Tschumi’s ‘rotting point’ and the potential of the ruin is put forward. In conclusion, the endurance of the ruin, as sculptural and functional structure is explored. The methodology is based on literature review combined with research by design.
The methodology is a confluence of objective and subjective references. Literature studies and case studies form the academic basis, while informal interviews represent the real life opinions.
In this politically driven times of change, there is a need for alternative views. The design studio offers the research field Ostend. The city does not utilize its valuable, cultural potentials. Therefore Ostend is the perfect place for an artful, innovative concept.
The first chapter focuses on the binding capacity of music. Music is a universal language and has the power to wind up political stereotypes. This theoretical idea takes shape through the creation of a multicultural band of artistic political refugees in combination with the local harmonic orchestra. The following two chapters define the harmonious program and give an architectural description of the project site. The atypical findings in terms of dealing with heritage provide a surprising added value. The last chapter shows that a design, inspired by music, is powerful enough to bring people together in Ostend.
Supervisor: Bie Plevoets - Hasselt University
This article is part of an ongoing Ph.D. research (funded by the Flanders Research foundation FWO – Fellowship fundamental research 1116421N) entitled ‘Belgian MoMo heritage on the radar, re-reading modernist housing estates: an inquiry into the value of threatened heritage sites and the possibilities of adaptive reuse as a method for re-evaluation’.
We start from a conceptual basis by referring to Vittoria Di Palma’s Radical Thought where she positions history as integral to the creative process, similar to, for example, sketching. Secondly, we apply this to the “thick timeline” as a useful method in design education. The latest version of the timeline can be accessed at https://indd.adobe.com/view/2afec35b-5286- 49ed-9b4d-f02b947d0dac.1 We strongly recommend consulting the link during the reading of this paper, so you can experience, try out and practice the described aspects yourself.
Despite the lofty ambitions of the Modern Movement, many of these projects have undergone a critical shift in meaning, and are today associated with problematic living conditions, deprived areas, isolated locations, a low-income population, social isolation, pollution, crime etc. As a consequence, questions emerge about how to solve these problems, in many cases resulting in demolition, even of the most iconic projects, such as the Pruitt-Igoe in St, Louis, USA, or the Smithsons’ Robin Hood Gardens in London.
Despite the negative connotations of this architectural typology, some interesting refurbishment projects have been executed over the past decades, in which the pre-existing was not eliminated. This article illustrates three refurbishment projects in which the architects succeeded in adapting the original ideologies and aspirations of a different generation to those of today: Park Hill Estate in Sheffield, Kleiburg in Amsterdam, and Tour Bois-le-Prêtre in Paris. These projects will be analysed based on their origins and evolution, transformation, and re-interpretation of modernist ideas.
This contribution (1) elaborates on the typological characteristics of post-war social housing in Flanders, based on the inventory made by the Flemish government and refined by the researcher and students (2). In conclusion the role of the inventory for research by design is explained.
This building is a linear interference in the existing landscape. The alternating walls and columns rise up from the ground. Due to the rising sea level the flood risk after a storm increases tremendously. Therefore buffer basins are integrated in the thickness of the walls. The space in between the walls is empty. Emptiness stimulates creativity. What if a refugee gets the opportunity to play the main role in a new metro pole of subcultures? As the sand blows trough the openings, the building is permanently in alteration. The hollowness is filled by sand, as the refugees gently continue their travel. Before summer arrives we use the captured sand to reconstruct the Belgian beaches.
On the macro level the project has its own identity due to its scale, roughness and strong presence. As the beach situated in front of the project site is removed, the sea is up against the existing galleries. On the one hand this intervention is necessary to install the ‘Wave dragon’. On the other hand the conventional ‘beach walk’ is now taken through the building itself. That is the reason for the citadel’s appearance as an artificial dune landscape. The axle lines of the Venetian and Royal galleries served as the structural inspiration for the design of the building. The walls appear as duing races holding the sand together. The platforms are built like terraces, to ensure the continuous sea view on different levels. All the floors of the citadel are accessible for everyone at any time; horizontally by means of slopes and vertically by means of lifts and stairs. The three lift shafts ensure the stability of the construction. The connection between the beams and the columns is invisible, and is called the BFS-system, reproducible to infinity and contrasting with the uncontrollability of nature. ‘Structure is the maker of light. A column and a column brings light between. It is darkness – light; darkness – light; darkness –light.’, Louis Kahn (2013) in The power of architecture, Weil am Rhein: Vitra Design Museum. The building is like a music score: a suggestion for a performance in which freedom, initiative and self-organisation play the leading role. I want to upgrade the temporary character of a refugee’s stay in Ostend. Let culture make the difference in all its rich variety. In order to adjust the building to temporary functions, tarps can be hanged between the walls or containers for multiple purposes can be placed on railing systems. The structure is calculated on a big amount of weights. Are we, as society, ready to give the Atlantic wall a second chance as a citadel for subcultures? Only if people open their eyes to the mutual benefits of this project. ‘The refugee is like a migratory bird nourishing in Ostend before flying on to England’. With sight on England we think about our lost visitors.