As Found. Experiments in Preservation - London

Transformation as the first design choice

It is no news that there is hardly any room for new constructions in Flanders. And yet the urge to use up extra space or to raze buildings and put up something new in their place is entrenched. Architecture in Flanders and Brussels, however, demonstrates a unique position in dealing with the existing built environment. The exhibition ‘As Found’ proves this. Seven experimental approaches to transformation architecture and eight Belgian reference projects show that the existing arsenal of buildings in Flanders offers a range of possibilities. The exhibition looks not only at the end result, but above all at the design process and the sometimes very different parties involved. Each project is illustrated on the basis of preliminary studies, drawings, photos and models uncovered by the curators at the design offices. With this exhibition, the Flanders Architecture Institute wants to inspire architects, policymakers, users, funders and clients to tread new paths in dealing with our existing patrimony.

Buildings as repositories of the collective memory

Recent discussions around the extension of Het Steen in Antwerp and the Gravensteen in Ghent show that professionals are not alone in having an opinion about how we should treat our heritage and the built environment in general. Empowered citizens are expressing their opinions. This shows the importance of buildings as an essential part of the collective memory. The book and the exhibition therefore argue that it is necessary to achieve an appropriate transformation collectively, together with users, clients, designers and historians.

Short-chain building and urban mining

In a densely built-up region like Flanders, where open space is scarce, restoring, infilling or reactivating is not just a cultural decision. It also has an impact on global flows of materials and on local employment. The more buildings are restored, the greater the need for skilled labour and local (artisanal) industry. Urban mining is a good example of this: materials that until recently were dismissed as waste from construction sites are upgraded into raw materials for building projects. In this way, the transformation of existing buildings is more sustainable than a new construction according to the latest EPB standards.

catalogue

As Found

Architecture in Flanders and Brussels reflects a unique position in dealing with the existing built environment. Although the experimental approaches vary with different design methodologies, the audacity of the interventions remains, whether it is a medieval structure or a twentieth-century building. This book focuses on seven experimental approaches in preservation today: ensemble, void, reconfiguration, inside out, traces, mirror and nuance. These are explored through essays, realized projects and international references.

communication kit

As Found

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