EM2N is a leading Swiss architectural firm founded in 1997 by Mathias Müller and Daniel Niggli, based in Zurich and Berlin. Together with noA and Sergison Bates, they are currently working on the transformation of the former Citroën garage in Brussels into the Kanal-Centre Pompidou arts centre and museum. In addition to cultural institutions, their work also includes collective housing, educational buildings and urban redevelopment projects. Following the lecture given by Mathias Müller and Daniel Niggli in Brussels on 18 November, A spoke with them. A story of their critically optimistic and pragmatically idealistic approach to architecture.

Eline Dehullu (A+) – In 2023, you published a book: EM2N – City Factory. At first glance, it appears to be a monograph of your architectural practice, but it is much more than that. It is a self-critical review of your work and an in-depth reflection on urban transformation. How do you define the concept of the ‘City Factory’?