AgwA – Benoit Burquel and Nicky Vancaudenberg
AgwA, based in Brussels and established between 2003 and 2006, mainly addresses projects for the public and for collective entities, focusing on adaptive reuse, complex situations, mixed-use developments, and tight budgets.
Their designs anticipate a building’s long-term evolution, adapting to changes in use and context. While creating remarkable spatial dispositions, AgwA proposes a functional and clear architecture, emphasizing simple construction materials and structure. Key projects, illustrating AgwA’s diverse practice, include the renovation of the Palais des Expositions in Charleroi, the conversion of a former office building and parking space into a theater and dance school in Brussels, the construction of a pedestrian bridge in Seraing, or memorials in El Salvador. Many unbuilt competitions and collaborations serve as an environment for creative exploration. Conversely, they view construction sites as dynamic extensions of the design process, where the critical potential of architecture unfolds and materializes.
AgwA contributes to academic research and education at different universities, notably founding the Architecture in Practice research group and publishing the “In Practice” book series since 2018, working with institutions like KU Leuven, ULB and ULiège. AgwA has been invited to teach in several architecture schools and faculties outside Belgium, as BAS in Bergen, Politecnico in Milan, PBSA in Düsseldorf or Columbia GSAPP in New York.
The talk starts at 18:00 at the Konstakademien. Mingling with drinks from 17:30. The event is free of charge, and no prior registration is required. Organized by the Stockholm Architectural Association through Michela Barone Lumaga.