Coverbeeld boek Monnikenheide Open Room by Richard Venlet - Boekpresentatie Vlaams Architectuurinstituut in DE SINGEL (Beeld: Kurt Deruyter)

press release

Monnikenheide, pioneer of inclusive care architecture in Flanders

The Flanders Architecture Institute and architect-philosopher Gideon Boie have spared no effort in putting together a book about a unique architecture experiment: Monnikenheide. Founded in 1973 by Wivina and Paul Demeester, this care centre in Zoersel for people with a mental disability has become an international reference for inclusive care architecture. Over the past fifty years, architects such as b0b Van Reeth (AWG), Peter Swinnen (51N4E/CRIT.) and Dirk Somers (Bovenbouw) were given the opportunity to experiment as young designers with this exceptional design assignment. The result is a green estate full of high-quality architecture tailored to the residents and with a special connection to the neighbouring village.

Living in Monnikenheide: Care, Inclusion and Architecture
Available from 25.04.2023 on vai.be or in select bookshops

Book launch
25.04.2023 at 20:00, DE SINGEL, Antwerp

Gideon Boie

"Fifty years after its foundation, Monnikenheide is a life-size architectural statement about the place of people with disabilities in our society."

- Gideon Boie, architect-philosopher (KU Leuven / Bavo)

Cover Monnikenheide EN vierkant

book

Living in Monnikenheide

Care, Inclusion and Architecture

Monnikenheide in Zoersel is a residential care centre for people with mental disabilities. A special place for special people, it is examined from an architectural perspective for the first time in this book. In the fifty-year building history of Monnikenheide, different architects have gone in search of new spatial possibilities, with inclusion as leitmotif. This has created a unique landscape that transcends the boundaries of care architecture. Monnikenheide is a powerful architectural statement about the place of people in society who depend on care.

With contibutions by
Gideon Boie, Sofie De Caigny, Fredie Floré, Vjera Sleutel, Thomas Vanderveken, Heleen Verheyden and Erik Wieërs.

With projects by
Luc Van den Broeck, Bruno Boulanger, Mark Depreeuw, b0b Van Reeth/ArchitectenWerkGroep, Maarten Van Severen, Architectuurgroep Jo Peeters, Huiswerk architecten, Vermeiren De Coster Architecten, Richard Venlet, 51N4E, UR architects, FELT architecture & design

to the press kit

Erik Wieers © Dirk Kerstens

"The buildings at Monnikenheide show how architectural quality can be developed: the commissioners determined the social added value by indicating the position and thereby the relation to the context, while the designer translated this ambition into special houses for special people."

‐ Erik Wieërs, Flemish Government Architect

Zorgwoning Huis aan't Laar, 51N4E, Zoersel © Filip Dujardin

Living in Monnikenheide

Care, Inclusion and Architecture

book
Living in Monnikenheide: Care, inclusion and architecture
is for sale during the opening event on 25 April
and in the bookshop of vai.be

book launch
Tuesday 25 April 2023 – 8 pm DE SINGEL
Desguinlei 25 2018 Antwerp (BE)
register here

publisher
Flanders Architecture Institute
editor
Gideon Boie
authors
Gideon Boie, Sofie De Caigny, Fredie Floré, Vjera Sleutel, Thomas Vanderveken, Heleen Verheyden and Erik Wieërs
projects by
Luc Van den Broeck, Bruno Boulanger, Mark Depreeuw, b0b Van Reeth/ArchitectenWerkGroep, Maarten Van Severen, Architectuurgroep Jo Peeters, Huiswerk architecten, Vermeiren De Coster Architecten, Richard Venlet, 51N4E, UR architects, FELT architecture & design
photographer
Kurt Deruyter
graphic design
Ine Meganck and Isabel Motz
number of pages
160
ISNB
9789492567314
price
39,50

Cover Monnikenheide EN vierkant

Press contact

Flanders Architecture Institute

Egon Verleye
Press & Communication Officer
M +32 486 21 17 74
T +32 (0)3 242 89 73
E egon.verleye@vai.be

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Jan Van Rijswijcklaan 155
2018 Antwerp, Belgium
info@vai.be
T +32 (0)3 242 89 70

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