If we judge the tree by its fruits, all Belgian experts in urban planning and architecture agree: Wallonia is seriously lagging behind on virtually all issues relating to ecological emergency and spatial planning. Today, and despite a few (empty) promises, the region is still incapable, for example, of sticking to a voluntarist and operational road map for the drastic reduction of its urban sprawl (‘Smurf’ housing and economic activity zones). This obvious deficiency has had several harmful consequences: the artificialization and sealing of agricultural land, toxic car dependency, fragmentation of non-human habitats, the erosion of biodiversity, zoonoses and much more.

Wallonia is also the poor relation in terms of quality Belgian architecture. The Brussels and Flemish architecture scenes are acclaimed across Europe. On the other hand – and in spite of some valiant efforts by lone fighters who have been hindered rather than endorsed by the public apparatus ¹– too few remarkable projects have emerged out of Wallonia. The architectural climate is so mediocre, so clientelistic even, that a number of good Belgian offices are reluctant to participate in competitions that are not organized by the Cellule architecture. 1 See the recent open letter addressed by the Walloon section of the Belgian Order of Architects in late October to the Walloon Region: https://ordredesarchitectes.be/actualites/la-wallonie-en-mal-dambition-architecturale (in French)