Four young architects (Marcello Carpino (IT), Olivier Thomas (FR), Côme Rolin (FR) and Leander Venlet (BE)), who seem to be undaunted by anything, decided to organise an exhibition dedicated to the thriving scene of architects starting out in Brussels. With the support of the BMA, they managed to persuade the D’Ieteren Group to make its headquarters on Rue du Mail in Brussels available – a building designed by René Stapels (1962–1967). Brussels Based, which showcases the wide variety of practices with a distinctly international flavour, is a veritable treasure trove of information. I spoke online with Marcello, Olivier and Côme.

A+  What led you to organise Brussels Based?

Marcello Carpino – Countless architectural practices have been set up in Brussels over the last decade. This is a sign that the Brussels architectural scene is particularly thriving. And that’s hardly surprising. Numerous competitions, generally open to early-career architects, are organised here. This is rarely the case in other EU countries. Furthermore, Brussels is a city that is very open to foreigners.

Côme Rolin – As part of this exhibition, the call for entries was accompanied by a questionnaire which revealed that barely 46% of the founders of new architectural practices were Belgian. The rest are foreign nationals. The French are the most widely represented, at 23%, followed by the Italians, at 10%.

A+  How do you explain this?

Olivier Thomas – The course at La Cambre is very attractive to French people, who also have a great deal of admiration for Belgian firms such as DVVT or OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen. That is why it is not uncommon for them to want to find work there after completing their studies.

MC Working conditions are significantly worse in Italy. Furthermore, Brussels is home to many firms of an appealing size – that is to say, relatively small structures rather than factories employing large numbers of people.

A+  You are showcasing the work of 50 architects working either solo or in collectives. Several practices have experienced significant growth since their inception. How did you make your selection?

OT The process took time. The BMA supported us by making its data available to us. The basic requirement was that the practice had only been in existence since 2014 and was based in Brussels.

MC There is indeed great diversity in the nature and size of the participating practices. Some operate solely in Brussels, others across Belgium or internationally. A few focus more on theory and publications. And then there are also outsiders such as textile designer Flore Fockedey.

A+  How do these designers present themselves? In what kind of setting?

CR We asked them to present themselves using a single object. And here too, there is great diversity: there are models, drawings, books… Some already existed, others were specially designed for this exhibition.

OT We only had a small budget at our disposal. That’s why the exhibition design makes use of materials available in the building designed by René Stapels, such as the ceiling tiles, which are currently being renovated. Visiting the Brussels Based exhibition is not just about discovering a world of young architects, but also about exploring an exceptional building.

Brussels Based: 21 March to 20 April 2025, Rue du Mail 50, Ixelles. Open Thursday to Sunday from 10.00 to 18.00.

As part of the exhibition, Brussels Based is also organising discussions, notably on the topic of working conditions for architects starting out.