Interior designers Claire Bataille (1940) and Paul ibens (1939-2020) worked together in the field of interior architecture for almost five decades. Through their joint design practice, established in 1968, they designed and realised countless homes, shops, businesses, furniture and objects.
The Flanders Architecture Institute acquired the entire Bataille & ibens archive in 2012. A selection of documents provides an initial glimpse of this fascinating and diverse collection.
"The search for the balance between the smallest component and the greater whole has always appealed to us."‐ Claire Bataille, 2003
Apartment in Brussels, 1968
Convent of the Sisters of the Holy Family in St-Job-in-’t-Goor in collaboration with R. Pluys, 1968 | © Jean-Luc Laloux
Convent of the Sisters of the Holy Family in St-Job-in-’t-Goor in collaboration with R. Pluys, 1968 | © Jean-Luc Laloux
House in Brasschaat, 1972
Brants Voets house in Dworp in collaboration with Jan Thomaes, 1989 | © Jean-Luc Laloux
The 78+ construction system’s connecting joint, circa 1980
The 78+ construction system’s connecting joint, circa 1980
Corthout house in Schilde in collaboration with Lieven Langohr, 1974 | © Jean-Luc Laloux
Brants Voets house in Dworp in collaboration with Jan Thomaes, 1989 | © Jean-Luc Laloux
Prefab 78+, Biënnale Interieur 82 in Kortrijk
Modular house, Prefab 78+, circa 1980"The result must be experienced afterwards as the evidence itself, as if the transformation had always been there."‐ Paul ibens, 2003
Vandendriessche house in Bellem, 1984, 1991 and 2001 | © Jean-Luc Laloux
Kreon guest room in Antwerp, 1997 | Verne Photography
Vandendriessche house in Bellem, 1984, 1991 and 2001 | © Jean-Luc Laloux
House in Brussels, 1988 | Kristien Daem
House in Lier in collaboration with Ferre Verbaenen, 1990 | © Jean-Luc Laloux
VL house in Brussels (Uccle), 2008 | © Jean-Luc Laloux
Apartment in Knokke, 1995 | © Jean-Luc Laloux
Apartment in Knokke, 1995 | © Jean-Luc Laloux
Paul ibens’ house in Wuustwezel in collaboration with Lieven Langohr, 1975 and 1996 | © Jean-Luc Laloux
Claire Bataille’s apartment in Berchem, 1992 | © Jean-Luc Laloux
House in Sint-Niklaas in collaboration with Marc Corbiau, 1984 | © Steven Brooke
Apartment in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, 1981
Management offices and meeting rooms for the Délégation générale du Québec in Brussels, 1990 | © Ludo Noel
Vandendriessche house in Bellem, 1984, 1991 and 2001"We are not looking for trendy effects, but rather for the power and sensuality of space."‐ Paul ibens, 2003
Meeting rooms for the Van Hoecke company in Sint-Niklaas | © Jean-Luc Laloux
Verso shop in Antwerp, 1994 | © Alberto Ferrero
Xavier Hufkens Gallery in Brussels, 1996 | © Reiner Lautwein
Picass shop in Antwerp, 1992 | © Ludo Noel
Moggie’s shop in Antwerp, 1999 | © Jean-Luc Laloux
Migoscha shop in Antwerp in collaboration with P. Wauters and J. Denissen, 1994 | © Bart Van Leuven
Migoscha shop in Antwerp in collaboration with P. Wauters and J. Denissen, 1994 | © Bart Van Leuven
Festival shop in Antwerp, 1979
Charlotte shop in Antwerp, 1987 | © Marc Jacobs
Princess shop in Antwerp, 1997 | © Guy Obijn
Ritmo management offices in Antwerp, 2001 | © Jean-Luc Laloux"The direct link between the basic idea of the intervention and absolute control, right down to the tiniest detail, remains essential to us."‐ Paul ibens, 2003
Spec66-101 cabinet in lacquered wood in collaboration with ‘t Spectrum, 1966
Paul ibens and Claire Bataille on the BZ84 sofa, a collaboration with ‘t Spectrum, 1971
Apartment in Knokke, 1989 | © Bart Van Leuven
Bench in collaboration with Appart, 1998
Bench in collaboration with Appart, 1998 | © Sarah Blee
Groenhoven Castle (residence) in Malderen in collaboration with Phillipe Samyn, 1998 | © Jean-Luc Laloux
Ag+, silver cutlery in collaboration with Wiskemann, 1996
Palladio glassware, four crystal glasses in collaboration with Val Saint Lambert, 1996
Palladio glassware, four crystal glasses in collaboration with Val Saint Lambert, 1996
Z-Table, 1978, and in collaboration with Bulo, 2012
Rug design, circa 1970
Apartment in Paris, 1984 | © Antoine Rozes
H2O office chair and desk in collaboration with Bulo, 1994
H2O table in collaboration with Bulo, 1994
H2O visitor’s chair in collaboration with Bulo, 1994
Rug design circa 1980
Apartment O in Knokke, 1988 | © Reiner Lautwein
Corthout house in Schilde in collaboration with Lieven Langohr, 1974 and 2000 | © Jean-Luc Laloux
SE18 chair in collaboration with ‘t Spectrum, 1971
Table and bench in collaboration with Appart, 1998 | © Sarah Blee"The temporality and fragility of interiors underlines the importance of the archive. By preserving plans, drawings, models, photographs, furniture and objects, this knowledge remains part of the history of interior architecture."‐ Eva Storgaard, curator, UTA#3, 2021
Would you like to consult an archive?
Monday to Friday: from 9am to 5pm
Preferably by appointment
Weekends and Holidays: Closed
Closed: 25.12.2023-31.12.2023
The archive can be visited in groups. Requests for this need to be made at least 3 weeks in advance via architectuurarchief@vai.be.
Looking for a particular archive or item? Dive into our online inventory.
There's more than just the VAi collection. We assemble all this information for you in a seperate database. Take a look!