PAF x L’architecture qui dégenre
Feminist Architecture Assembly brings together different generations of architects, spatial practitioners, researchers and community builders working on the transformation of practice from feminist values. This assembly is an initiative by PAF (platform voor architectuur & feminisme) and L’architecture qui dégenre and will take place in Belgium on February 7th, 2025.
The current turn towards architecture as an ecological and relational practice is deeply rooted in feminist thought and practice. Feminist spatial practitioners have expanded what architecture can be, weaving together different forms of knowledge and experience. Recent years saw increased attention to the role of previously marginalised perspectives in the discipline. This assembly asks: How to connect and amplify feminist modes of spatial practice in Belgium? How to create conditions for feminist architecture and urbanism? How to build more equitable futures?
The intention of the gathering is to build and strengthen connections and to exchange knowledge and experiences. Collectively we craft new narratives for building feminist practice. We discuss how this initiative can develop to build alliances between feminist spatial practitioners and organisations in Belgium.
Feminist Architecture Assembly Belgium is an initiative by PAF (platform voor architectuur & feminisme) and L’architecture qui dégenre, and is moderated by Evelien Pieters en Apolline Vranken. We build upon past initiaves by the New Institute and IABR (Catherine Koekoek) in Rotterdam.
Registration
For this event, we invite people and initiatives working on feminism and architecture. There is a limited number of tickets available for anyone interested to join and we have forgotten to include in our invitations: please email a.vranken@architecturequidegenre.be to receive a personal invitation.
Program
13:00 – 13:15 Walk-in with shared lunch at Atelier Vlaams Bouwmeester
13:15 – 13:25 Introduction by Apolline and Evelien
13:25 – 15:00 Story Circle
15:00 – 15:15 Coffee break
15:15 – 16:20 Tool Share: practitioners share a specific tool, strategy or skill
Aurélie Hachez (AHA) and Elseline Bazin (Elseline Bazin) - Egalitarian Housing in Action: Insights from the Petite Île Project in Anderlecht
Louise Deprins (A2D Architects) - Reimagining Motherhood in Architecture
Petra Pferdmenges (Alive Architecture) - Public Space 4 Her
Tine Poot and Kaat Verdickt (Flanders Architecture Institute)
16:20 – 17:15 Collective conversation and building alliances
17:15 – 18:30 Drinks and after talk at Café Boudin
The spoken language is English. When necessary, we will organise ad hoc whisper translations between participants.
Speakers
Aurélie Hachez (AHA)
AHA (BE) was founded in 2012 by Aurélie Hachez. Today, AHA is a team of architects whose complementary skills cover a wide field of action. As part of a generation that grew up in an integrated Europe, they believe in the interaction of multiple perspectives and the richness of learning from different architectural cultures that generate a richer design and work process. Their common belief in placing the social issue at the heart of their practice and their commitment to quality architecture motivates them to collaborate.
The office focuses on the design of projects of different scales ranging from furniture design, to interior renovation and the construction of new spaces and buildings. In the process of reflection, the projects are based on a sensitive approach to the place and the built and social context. They are formalised through the definition of details and material combinations, developed according to sustainable models and efficient construction techniques. The office believes in a collaborative approach, working with artists, craftsmen and other architects, and participating in international architectural juries and competitions.
Elseline bazin (Elseline Bazin)
Louise Deprins (A2D Architects)
is an architectural engineer passionate about the built environment, with a focus on integrated design, engineering, and human experience. After graduating with Great Distinction from the ULB-VUB Bruface Program in 2015, Louise began her career in architectural offices, starting at MDW Architecture, followed by DDS+, where she discovered and developed expertise in Building Information Modeling (BIM). Currently, as a senior architect and team leader at A2D Architects, she contributes to diverse projects, oversees BIM development, and trains colleagues.
She has also worked as a freelance architect for nearly a decade, specializing in renovation projects, and co-founded Blank, a Brussels-based design community focused on sustainability. This year, she is joining ULB as a teaching assistant in BIM.
Petra Pferdmenges (Alive Architecture)
Through her practice-based PhD at RMIT in Melbourne, Australia, Dr. Petra Pferdmenges founded the practice Alive. Since then, together with her team, she is designing and realizing socio-spatial processes of urban transformation in Brussels with marginal citizens as migrants, elderly people or girls. Through the projects of her practice she is expanding the discipline of Architecture from designing built space to co-producing Lived Space, generating public realm that is appropriated by its users and appreciated by everyone. While during the ParckFarm project in 2014 she curated inhabitants and artists to co-design and co-produce urban interventions in the Tour & Taxis parc, in later projects like ‘The Crack, ‘ Place de Houf’ or ‘Public Space 4 her’, Alive co-produces urban installations in public space with parts of society that might sometimes seem forgotten.
Tine Poot (Flemish Architecture Institute)
is a designer and researcher who loves to look at public space from different perspectives, from the scale of the interior to the urban scale. She extends this interdisciplinary perspective in her role as a design consultant for the VAi.
Kaat verdickt (Flemish Architecture Institute)
Dr. Kaat Verdickt is the current ‘Head of Collection’ at The Flanders Architecture Institute. She manages a collection of 200 archives, spread over more than 4000 linear metres. She taught history of interior design at the University of Antwerp. Her PhD entitled ‘The Realm of Silence. Consequences of the Belgian artistic migration towards Great Britain during the Great War on post war Belgian interior design’ has been defended at the University of Antwerp and she has lectured widely on the Belgian Artistic Exile Community during the Great War in the past years. Her research focussed on untold stories.