Arcade

Since autumn 2019, the polders in Kruibeke have been adorned by a sculptural intervention in Corten steel called Arcade, which accentuates the contours of the new dyke. In the form of a row of arches, this site-specific work represents the old links between village and polders. Starting from an analysis of the history and landscape, Gijs Van Vaerenbergh based their design on an archetypical architectural form, the gateway, to lead passers-by to the ferry. This is in keeping with their consistent oeuvre that has at its heart the redrawing and rethinking of architectural typology. Because it is diagonally truncated by the rising embankment of the dyke, this artwork focuses the attention on the ecological and security issues of the location. In their multidisciplinary practice, the Gijs Van Vaerenbergh duo concentrate very much on public space and have made a trade mark of the tension between architecture and art. Arcade is a recognisable point of contact in the landscape that adds a new layer of meaning and interacts with the passer-by.

This text is based on the essay of Katrien Laenen, which has been published in the Flanders Architectural Review N°14. When Attitudes Take Form