Should Wallonia, following the example of Flanders and Brussels, have a master builder? – Belgium
A number of politicians and experts are developing on this issue this week in the Walloon capital of Namur.
The colloquium, organized by the Institut Culturel d’Architecture Wallonie-Bruxelles (ICA-WB) and the Cellulle Architecture de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, is a wake-up call. Appointing a master builder is part of the Walloon Coalition Agreement for 2019. It is high time to get to work, says ICA-WB director Audrey Contesse. ‘Flanders has had a master builder since 1999, the position has existed in Brussels since 2009. Wallonia is one of the last regions in Europe that does not yet have a master builder.’
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The colloquium, organized by the Institut Culturel d’Architecture Wallonie-Bruxelles (ICA-WB) and the Cellulle Architecture de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, is a wake-up call. Appointing a master builder is part of the Walloon Coalition Agreement for 2019. It is high time to get to work, says ICA-WB director Audrey Contesse. ‘Flanders has had a master builder since 1999, the position has existed in Brussels since 2009. Wallonia is one of the last regions in Europe that does not yet have a master builder.’ Contesse, architect and art historian, different layouts. “It’s political,” she says. ‘Local authorities are wary of strong and independent powers such as a master builder who keeps a close eye on things. These reserves are reinforced by a kind of aversion to contemporary architecture. Walloon architecture and urban planning policy focuses mainly on heritage management. That is a conservative approach, a vision of the master builder as a promoter of contemporary architecture is seen.’ ‘In Flanders, the master builder is embedded in the prime minister’, continues Contesse. ‘That is clear and smart, because it means that all other specialist ministers can call on his expertise. After all, architecture is not just about building, but also about spatial planning, culture, the environment and even agriculture. We also want this cross-pollination for the Walloon master builder. Flanders offers inspiration, but due to the differences, the model cannot simply be copied. That is why we are already present in the study round with all ministers who can feel addressed. The master builder does not make decisions, he advises on important dossiers and develops a long-term vision. This is broad, just think of the climate transition of the mobility issue. It is all contained in The New European Bauhaus, an initiative to translate the ambitions of the European Green Deal into our living and living culture.’ Flanders has its Oosterweel connection, but Wallonia also has a ‘yard of the century’ with the reconstruction of the Vesder valley. The Walloon government has commissioned Italian urban planner Paola Viganò, professor at the Université de Liège, to draw up a master plan. Isn’t that an indication of the Walloon master builder’s duties that are normally discussed for 2024? “Not at all,” says Contesse. ‘Viganò himself is asking for a master builder. The trump card of a master builder is independence, during a period of his head not to coincide with the term of office of the government. A master plan is a snapshot, but the execution becomes a long process with many parties involved, such as execution, hamburgers, contractors and architects. A lot of deep and negotiation has to be done, and the master builder has the appropriate powers for that.’ Officially, Wallonia is not looking for a master builder, but a matre-architecte. Yet the Dutch word is also common in the south of the country. ‘Bouwmeester is covering things better’, says Contesse.