Page 17 - THE FIRE STATION

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INTRODUCTION

Brussels, Chaussée de Waterloo, 1537. All of my customers are extraordinary, but since the 2008 crisis I’m
1st April 2016, 8:55. finding I have to take part in lots of competitions, as the normal
market has collapsed. We’re seeing a change in paradigm.
Ghislain André is there.
But I’m also continuing with my research. I blame myself for my
First you hear his voice, quickly exchanging a few words with the lack of imagination. I force myself to invent errors. Designing
secretary and greeting an employer on his way through the lobby. something forces me to start researching.This in turn fuels what
Then he appears, spritely, straight-backed, suit, white shirt, bow tie. I am doing, even though it can sometimes be a bit disturbing:
indicators of volumes, the vertical city, white solar panels, the
He carefully takes off his jacket, lights his pipe and starts speaking. use of glass in a vacuum, perforated steel sheets in combination
with a PTFE film .... I’m a great believer in the virtues of theory.
“My awareness of sustainable development dates back to 1971-72,
when I was studying at the MIT (Massachusetts Institute ofTech- From whom do I draw my inspiration? Dom Hans van der Laan
nology). Required to choose an optional course, I came up with (Le Nombre plastique, L’Espace architectonique) and Christopher
a course given by Jay Wright Forrester, the pioneer of the theory Alexander (A pattern language) ... “
of system dynamics .... Jay Wright... System Dynamics... Urban
Dynamics... His questioning of the Club of Rome, of which he He shows us his 1.35 metre-wide picture inspired by Hans van
is a founding member, with regard to global balances ... World der Laan
Dynamics!This book looks at the modelling of complex interac-
tions in the fields of economics, demographics and the environ- He starts speaking faster, his ideas come tumbling out.
ment. Remember, we were in the early 1970’s.
He speaks about the recently won competition for the Province of
Yes, that was when I gained my awareness for sustainable devel- Namur’s House of Culture, an extension of Victor Bourgeois’ origi-
opment and my systemic approach to the world.” nal building.

He pours us a coffee. “The revelation ... the revelation, that’s what’s important!The
traces left by previous architects are there, but not everything has
“Here, we’re a true community of colleagues ... great colleagues. yet been revealed. We want to reveal the whole form. My proposal
A team working together in a permanent spirit of trust.There’s just for the “bow cylinder” reveals the work of Victor Bourgeois while
one key, one telephone number and one e-mail address. Each one at the same time linking up to it. I was utterly convinced that we
of us is responsible for the well-being of the whole set-up, whether needed something to achieve an overall harmony .... that wasn’t
it’s cleaning up one’s desk at lunch or tidying up at the end of the that easy!”
day. A united team, with shared trust.

The winning draft submitted by
Philippe Samyn and Partners for
the Province of Namur’s Maison
de la Culture. (Ref. 01 | 628)
The number in brackets refers
to the corresponding file on the
www.samynandpartners.com
website.