Atelier Brabantstad is part of the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam of 2014, which is all about Urban by Nature. The Atelier makes us look at the city with different eyes: no longer as an independent environment, but as part of a wider urban landscape. Suddenly, the space that connects cities takes centre stage. This space appears as a richly varied urban carpet, in which keys are hidden to work on the future of the urban landscape.  → more

The fact that care lies at the heart of our society needs no further explanation since the covid-19 pandemic. The initiative for the studio series ‘Take Care! Invisible care as a social-spatial issue’ came about just before the outbreak of this global health crisis. Representatives from different policy domains, knowledge institutions, care organizations and architects sat down together. They had discussions for five afternoons on how space can be a lever to integrate care in our society in a ‘normal and natural way’. → more

In the Eurodelta every square meter is claimed to store water, generate energy, produce food or live. Our territory is almost built up, and at the same time it faces incredible transformations still to come. We will need a strong framework in which as strong local coalitions can take initiative. In this context the design practice takes up a facilitating role in new projects that tackle multiple challenges at the same time. New coalitions deal with legal, financial or technical obstacles. And on new platforms, many initiatives are brought together to form an ambitious movement. → more

Citizens who themselves take the initiative to work on their neighbourhood. It seems like a beautiful intention, which unfortunately is rarely realized in practice. Muide Meulestede proves this to be possible! Residents are the driving force behind a broad-based participatory design process in which the future of the neighbourhood is central. They drew up a shared agenda and made concrete action plans for better mobility, affordable housing, local economy and climate. New coalitions of citizens, entrepreneurs, associations and city services continue their endeavours to actually realize these ambitions and actions. → more

As far as urban renewal is concerned, Kortrijk has long been known as one of the best students in the class. Nevertheless, the city is struggling with a stagnating population growth, while currently houses are steadily being built and open spaces still being taken over. Kortrijk decided to convert the need into a virtue, and opted for a radical upgrade of the existing urban fabric. The urban development of the grandiose - with large-scale infrastructure projects - is no longer central. It is an 'urban development of the everyday', with a lot of attention for the improvement of the daily living and working environment of the Kortrijk residents. Hundreds of residents debated with each other for a year and drew a bold vision for the future of their city.  → more