BOLD IS BEAUTIFUL
WHY
#bold
Cie O prefers outspoken designs. Therefore, we avoid grey answers and like to take coloured risks. Our proposals aim to spark discussion and enthusiasm. As a result, they are “full of breath”.
#biotope builders
We design architecture as a broad living matter. Our architecture wants to give every life – not just humans – a well-thought-out place. Our projects anticipate a spatial, social, political, cultural, economic and ecological context that defines a biotope. We, therefore, acknowledge daily complexity and refuse to reduce it into simple aesthetic answers.
We are biotope builders.
#civil
As a team working intensively together, we believe that it is all about empowering one another relentlessly, in all possible ways, regardless of the situation or context. This attitude we pose on ourselves but also our clients.
We are at the same time firmly optimistic, non-self-referential and outspoken civil: Architecture is not an autonomous discipline but a public task.
#maximalist
We are going voluntarily. We create generous designs. We swaddle them with colours and materials, and light. Our designs are resilient in time because they are strategically plentiful and tactile.
#humour
Humour and imagination generate happiness and progress. Innovation is the smile in the process. We want to shake, surprise, amaze and sometimes tease with our proposals.
HOW
#versatility
We refuse to develop a “signature language”. Initially unbiased, we make decisions through targeted insights. Modus operandi is an uncurbed versatility, imagination and intuition.
We navigate as omnivores, seeking information, collecting and ordering data, a bit like editors would do.
We approach an assignment from different scales and points of view.
We like working with end-users, thinkers, other biotope-builders, practical experts, artists.. We are system thinkers: broad-minded, undogmatic and pragmatic in one.
team
Joke Vermeulen, ceo-architect
Francis Catteeuw, ceo-architect
Elias Verdegem, ir.architect
Eva De Bels, architect-urbanist
Saar Bruneel, architect
Nina Dalla, ir. architect-urbanist
Sandrine Janssens, architect
Marissa van Leeuwen, architect-assistente
Robin Herman, ir.architect
Setareh Roozbahani, stagiar architect
Veerle Speleers, financieel managment
former collaborators
Geert Pauwels, Sigert Defrancq, Kim Pecheur, Kate Davies, Lies Trybou, Rebecca Devriese, Jessica Langerock, Reneé Steyaert, Nel Vereeken, Nikolaas Martens, Linde Van Reeth, Caroline Lambrechts, Arnout Stevens, Bregt Vanderper, Giulia Simonetto, Bram Van Cauter, Soetkin Goddaert, Ruben Rottiers, Thomas Cantraine, Ioannis Gio, Miguel Nicque, Stefan Hooijmans, Joshua Sam Broomer, Tom Goddeeris, Jolein Bergers, Erjen Gregoire, Eftychia Papathanasiou, Pieter Van den Poel, Sien Cornillie, Robert Barbir, Olga Salata, Pieterjan De Bock, Ilse Verhaeghe, Ayumi Mukai, Giovanna Zuliani, Boyan Stoyanov,
Mateusz Juchimowicz, Martina Genovesi, Lovro Bradac, Steven Van Hoorde, Francesco Mazzi, Lente Vandriessche, Vito Sorino, Ophelie Nemayer, Stijn Selis, Catalin-Lucian Pop, Elisa Guarneri, Sausan Haj Abdova, Ana Mendica, Ada Rosito, Matej Uhlik, Carola Pittoors, Rossella Zappalà, Marthe De Wannemacker, Antonin Broquedis, Emile Bouckaert
awards
_Safety Pavilion Knokke
2019 3rd runner-up Mixed-use building of the year, Archmarathon
_Museum for Shoes and Brooms, Eperon d’Or Izegem
2018 Prize of Heritage, Flemish Government
_Topsportschool Antwerp
2016 5th runner-up Educational building of the year, Archdaily
publications
_Topsportschool Antwerp, p.22 – Focus Archi, n.20 (2019). ‘In het hart van de architectuur’, flexicover, 58 p., Lionel Lhoir (ed). Kessel – Lo, Belgium: Drukkerij Van der Poorten.
_Elementary School Lebbeke, coördinaten in de ruimte, pp. 48-53 – info_steel, n.58 (2019). Flexicover, 80 p., Koen Michielsen (ed).
_Safety Pavilion Knokke, Watch house, p.46 – Wallpaper, n.244 (2019). ‘the stuff that refines you’, flexicover, 218 p., Sarah Douglas (ed). London, UK: The Wallpaper Group, TI Media Limited.
_National Museum for Shoes & Brooms – Eperon d’Or, Von Schuhen und Besen, pp.84-89 – Architektur fachmagazin, n.04 (2019). ‘Architektur zum Lernen’, flexicover, 138 p., Walter Laser (ed). Perchtoldsdorf, Austria: Laser Verlag G.m.b.H.
_National Museum for Shoes & Brooms – Eperon d’Or, pp.54-58 – Plan, n.8 (2019). Flexicover, 208 p., Eric Bal (ed). Herentals, Belgium: Uitgeverij Balfin bvba.
_Elementary School Lebbeke, Ecole évolutive, p.53 – AMC, n.275 (2019). Flexicover, 130 p., Gilles Davoine (ed). Rijsel, France: GROUPE MONITOR.
_Elementary School Lebbeke, p.29 – Knack Weekend, Black 03 (2018). Flexicover, 170 p., Ruth Goosens (ed). Roeselare, Belgium: Roularta Printing.
_Topsportschool Antwerp, pp.148-153 – Deutscher Architektur Verlag, edition 1:100 (2019). ‘Building the future. Educational architecture’, hardcover, 271 p., Till Schröder (ed). Zlín, Czech Republic: GRASPO CZ.
_Topsportschool Antwerp, pp.46-53 – db, deutsche bauzeitung, (2018). ‘Sport-bauten’, flexicover, 92 p., Katja Kohlhammer (ed). Antwerpen, Belgium: Konradin Druck, Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany.
_Topsportschool Antwerp, Learning and training, pp.22-25 – sb, (2018). ‘International magazine for sports, leisure, and recreational facilities’, flexicover, 64 p., Harald Fux (ed). Koln, Germany: IAKS.
_Topsportschool Antwerp, pp.265_38-265_39 – Hinge, n.265 (2018). Flexicover, 84 p., James Saywell (ed). Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong: Lighter Sources Co, Limited.
_Topsportschool Antwerp, Oppositiefiguur, pp.8-10 – A+ Architectuur in Belgie, A+266 (2017). ‘Dis-array’, flexicover, 96 p., Pieter T’Jonck (ed). Brussel, Belgium: Icasd vzw.
_Topsportschool Antwerp, Neither Time nor Space Waste, pp.42-43 – Mark, n.68 (2017). ‘Another Architecture’, flexicover, 176 p., David Keuning (ed). Amsterdam, Nederlands: Frame Publishers.
_Topsportschool Antwerp, pp.18-24 – info_steel, n.49 (2017). Flexicover, 80 p., Philippe Coigné (ed).
_Topsportschool Antwerp, pp.42-45 – Innovate.in.architecture., n.08 (2017). Flexicover, 130 p., Kortrijk, Belgium, Wienerberger.
_Topsportschool Antwerp, Plan magazine, n.4 (jan 2017). Flexicover, Eric Bal (ed). Herentals, Belgium: Uitgeverij Balfin bvba
_House Machelen, Arcadisch wonen in beton, pp.88-95 – Buitengewoon Belgisch Bouwen, n.5 (2017). ‘Recente & innoverende eengezinswoningen van toparchitecten’, hardcover, 465 p., Frank Berckmans en Grégory Mees (ed). Antwerpen, Belgium: At Home Publishers en Tielt, Belgium: Uitgeverijk Lannoo.
_Regional Technical Center, pp.68-71 – World Architecture, n.201 (2007). ‘Emerging belgian architecture’, flexicover, 154 p., Zhang Lu, Joachim Declerck, Roeland Dudai (ed). Beijing, China: The World Architecture Magazine Publication.
_Belgosuc, pp.37-39 – Jaarboek Architectuur Vlaanderen, (2000-2001). Flexicover, 294 p., Jan Verlinden (ed). Antwerpen, Belgium: deSingel Internationaal Kunstcentrum.
_Regionaal Technologisch Centrum, p.29 – Awards van de Belgische Architectuur & Energie 2005, n.43 (2005). Flexicover, 50 p., Erwin Ooghe (ed). Beernem, Belgium: Omicron nv.
_Belgosuc, pp.40-41 – Neuf Nieuw, n.215 (2002). ‘Architecture in Switzerland’, flexicover, 58 p., Carine Lecomte (ed). Brussel, Belgium: Editions Kluwer.
past events
_22 Sep 2019, ‘D/a Day of architecture’, Open office day (vai initiative)
_Oct 2019, ‘Classical and Architecture, 2nd edition’, Classical concert at the Topsportschool Antwerp (orfeo initiative)
_27 Jun 2019, ‘Perspective Northern EU Forum’, panel discussion on Safety Pavilion Knokke (The Plan initiative), Copenhagen (DE)
_16 Mar 2019, Lecture about the Safety Pavilion Knokke at ‘Fiera Milano Rho’ Milan, IT.
_Archipel tour of Topsportschool Antwerp