Dirk Somers
Eclecticism as a joyful Imperative: renovating in Brussels and beyond
Hasselt beguinage refurbishment, icw officeDKA
© david de bruijn
© david de bruijn
Bovenbouw worked on 3 iconic buildings in Brussels over the past few years. Each of these stems from a very different era, and each renovation requires a totally different vocabulary. However, the design attitude is consistent. Through radical empathy the goals is to strengthen each building’s distinct identity, an approach that involves a somewhat wild and eclectic mindset. Forgotten authors, epigones, peers and intense collaborations all play their role in this act of laminated refurbishing.
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Bovenbouw is an office based in Antwerp. Dirk Somers, professor and head designer leads a team of 23 talented European architects.
Bovenbouw’s work is characterized by an open minded and untimely approach to design, fully freed from the compulsive desire to be avant-garde. Paradoxically, Bovenbouw does not reject the notion of style. Bovenbouw tries to reinvent a style specific to every situation. This quest for style can be understood in a true classical sense, bringing together old and new ideas in an interesting blend of the everyday and the everlasting.
