Willy Van Der Meeren’s apartment block in Evere is an example of well-considered architecture. Its composition is the result of social, technological, programmatic and urban planning choices that have been clearly identified and contextualised. The fact that the neighbourhood exhibits the same rationality and conveys the same values on its own scale makes the project all the more commendable. Although those values have evolved over the years, the site still exudes meaning and quality of life and is resilient to change.

“Karbon is a Brussels-based cooperative that aims to develop reasoned architecture,” says Karbon. “We are constantly seeking the minimal intervention – not aesthetic – in terms of composition. We seek the minimal gesture to translate the architectural into architecture. We call this approach ‘level 1 architecture’: the level of design in a delicate balance between the structure and the aesthetic gesture.