UPA-BUA Union Professionnelle d'Architectes
Beroepsunie Van Architecten

Belgian organisations for the history and culture of architecture

Centre International pour la Ville et l’Architecture (CIVA

This centre, created in 2000 on the initiative of the Minister of the French Community, is the counterpart, for the Brussels-Capital Region, of the ICA-WB (active in the Walloon Region) and the VlAI (active in the Flemish Region). It brings together a series of cultural bodies created previously: Archives d'Architecture Moderne, Fondation pour l'Architecture, Fondation Philippe Rotthier, Association Espaces Verts et Art des jardins, Bibliothèque René Pechère, Centre Paul Duvigneaud, Fonds V. G. Martiny Fund.

- Archives d'Architecture Moderne (AAM) : Founded in 1968 on the initiative of Maurice Culot, professor at La Cambre, in order to stimulate debate on architecture and urban planning and to highlight the heritage of the history of modern architecture in Belgium) and, on the Flemish side, the Sint-Lukasarchief.

- Museum of Architecture "La Loge" : This museum, created in 2002, is located in the premises of the former Masonic lodge designed by Fernand Bodson in 1934, a building which for a long time housed the Archives of Modern Architecture and which today faces the CIVA to which it is attached.

- Fondation pour l'Architecture : Created in 1986, its aim is to promote the quality of architecture in its broadest sense. Since 2000, it has been part of the CIVA.

- La Fondation Philippe Rotthier pour l’Architecture : Created in 1982, it organizes the triennial competition for the European Prize for Urban Reconstruction. Since 2000, it has been part of the CIVA.

Centre d'Information en Architecture, Urbanisme et Design (CIAUD) - Informatiecentrum voor Architectuur, Stedenbouw en Design (ICASD)
This not-for-profit association, founded in 1973 and headquartered in Architects' House, is mainly involved in the publication of the magazine A+.

Institut Culturel d’Architecture Wallonie-Bruxelles (ICA-WB)
Body launched at the end of 2019 on the initiative of the architecture unit of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and supported by the Cultural Centres of Namur, Charleroi and Huy as well as Recyclart in Brussels. Its vocation is to organise installations, performances and parties. It is the counterpart, for the Walloon Region, of the CIVA (active in the Brussels-Capital Region) and the VlAI (active in the Flemish Region).

Koninklijke Academie voor Wetenschappen, Letteren en Schone Kunsten van België
Dutch-speaking counterpart of the Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium, founded in 1938.

Les Maisons de l'urbanisme (RW)

There are eight of them, forming a network spread throughout Wallonia. One of their roles is to make citizens aware of spatial planning issues and to provide technical support to municipalities.

  • Maison régionale de l'Architecture et de l'Urbanisme de Namur 

  • Maison de l'urbanisme de la région de Charleroi Maison de l'urbanisme de l'arrondissement de Philippeville (Nismes)

  • Maison de l'urbanisme du Brabant wallon (Court-Saint-Etienne)

  • Maison de l'urbanisme "Famenne-Ardenne" (Marloie)

  • Maison de l'urbanisme "Lorraine-Ardenne" (Attert)

  • Maison de l'urbanisme de la région liégeoise (Liège)

  • Les Plus Beaux Villages de Wallonie a.s.b.l. (Crupet)

Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium (RASAB)
ASBL created by the two Royal Academies (ARB and KVBA) to deal with their common Belgian and international interests and undertakings.

Sint-Lukas Archief
Created in 1968, on the initiative of HAI Sint-Lukas of Schaerbeek. This organisation was awarded the title of Cultural Ambassador of Flanders for the period 1998-2002.

Fondation Vanhove-Vonnêche
Foundation for the promotion of the restoration of ancient monuments, its aim is the training of the architect restorer of historical monuments. It also organizes a prize.

Centrum Vlaamse Architectuur Archieven (CVAa)
Centre created on the initiative of the VlAI (Vlaamse Arhitectuurinstituut) in 2003.

Vlaams Architectuur Instituut (Vai)
This organisation inspired by the Dutch Nai, which is the Flemish counterpart of CIVA (active in the Brussels-Capital Region) and ICA-WB (active in the Walloon Region) was created in 2001) has its headquarters in the Antwerp Singel. It is an information centre whose aim is to make the general public, professionals, researchers, the media and the political world aware of contemporary architecture (particularly in Flanders).

Vlaams Platform voor Architectuur Disciplines (vPaD)
Project proposed by the Dean of the KUL-Sint-Likas Faculty, to be launched in 2014.

Local associations for the promotion of architecture
Various groups have been set up (mainly on the Flemish side) to promote contemporary architecture through competitions, exhibitions, publications and events. These include, among others:

  • Architectuur als Buur (Gent) : Association created in 1987.
  • Anno '02: Cultuur in de hoek van Vlaanderen. Created in 1998.
  • Architectuur Promotie Provincie Antwerpen (APPA).
  • Stichting Stad en Architectuur (SS&A) : Created in Leuven in 1998.
  • Konfrontatie met Moderne Architektuur (KoMA) : Created in 1990.
  • Association pour la Promotion et la Recherche sur l'Architecture Moderne à Liège (APRAM) : Created in 2001.
  • Bouwen Wonen Nu : Created in Bruges in 1963.
  • Archipel : Association created in Bruges.
  • Charles Duyver : association from the eponymous Charles Duyver Prize created in 1986..

Other associations for the promotion of architecture

Other associations promote architecture through particular approaches:

- SUPERNOVa: Association dedicated to the study of recent developments in architecture, art, design and urbanism, presentation of projects still unknown or unrealized).

- ABC (Art Basics for Childrens) : initiation and or deepening of different art forms for children and adults).

- PRATIC.BE : Website for the promotion of cultural architectural practices.

The World Architecture Day (in Belgium)
Created in 1997 on the initiative of the International Union of Architects (UIA), which annually sets the date (month of October) and the general theme, this day was organised for the first time in Belgium in 2002 by the Vlaamse Architectuur Instituut (Vai): in a number of cities, recently completed buildings corresponding to a particular chosen theme are open to the public.

The Heritage Days
These days, organized in the three regions on a defined theme, allow the public to discover different witnesses of the heritage. These days take place at the beginning of September.

The Vlaamse Renovatiedag
These days, organised in the Flemish Region since 1999, take place on a Sunday in May.

Libraries and documentation collections
In addition to the organizations mentioned above, there are other documentation centres relating to architecture, town planning or landscaping, such as the René Pechère Library (Art of Gardens) and the Centre Paul Duvigneaud (Documentation d'écologie urbaine), which are now part of the CIVA, or the libraries of the various architecture and urban planning institutes.

Museums devoted to ancient or traditional architecture and construction
In addition to museums of modern and contemporary architecture, Belgium also has a series of museums dedicated to vernacular architecture (Domaines de Bokrijk or Fourneau-Saint-Michel, among others), ancient architecture (Horta Museum) or building materials and techniques (Marble, Slate or Brick Museum, for example).

Wallonie-Bruxelles-Architecture (WBA)
Architecture Unit of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (FWB) created in 2007 which will be at the origin of the creation of the Cultural Institute of Architecture Wallonia-Brussels (ICA-WB) launched at the end of 2019.