Discover Benelux & France | Issue 15 | March 2015

DI N I NG AMONG TH E STARSTHE MARKET OF CONSTRUCTIONC U LT U R E C A P I TA L M O N SPLUS: DESIGN, CULTURE AND TOURISM

I S S U E 15 | M A R C H 2015

BARRY ATSMAP A T R O N O F T H E P A S T

P R O M O T I N G B E L G I U M , T H E N E T H E R L A N D S , L U X E M B O U R G & F R A N C E

2_5_DiscoverBenelux_Issue15_March2015_Q9_Scan Magazine 1 20/02/2015 16:49 Page 1

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Issue 15 | March 2015 | 3

ContentsMARCH 2015

Discover Benelux | Contents

26

COVER FEATURE10 Barry Atsma

Having appeared as some of the Netherlands’most famous historic characters, actor BarryAtsma brings his nation’s past alive while look-ing forward to an international future.

THEMES16 Dining among the Stars

The number of Michelin star restaurants is quicklygrowing in the Netherlands. Here is a selection ofsome of the top tables for fine dining.

28 Culture Capital Mons

Crowned this year’s Culture Capital of Europe,we discovered what the small Walloon town ofMons has in store.

32 The Market of Construction

Airports, skyscrapers, zoos and wooden con-structions – this special encompasses a widerange of architecture themes and topicsPLUS: Second homes, from page 52.

FEATURES26 All in good time: Racoon

With the release of the band’s new album, itwas time to look behind the scenes and find outwhat inspired their new songs.

34 Experience of the Month, The Netherlands

Uncover the architectural identities of majorcities in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germanyand France with Guiding Architects.

64 An artist on the up: Sophie Jung

Jet setting between London, Basel, her home ofLuxembourg and soon New York, it is no won-der more and more are discovering her talent.

BUSINESS60 Grandes écoles, GreenWin & Regulars

Alongside our regular columnists, we are high-lighting some outstanding French educational in-stitutions and innovative industrial Belgian ventures. PLUS: Benelux Business Calendar, page 63.

DON’T MISS6 Fashion Picks | 8 Desirable Designs 68 Out & About | 70 Benelux Lifestyle Columns

40

21

10

28


4 | Issue 15 | March 2015

Discover Benelux | Editor’s Note

Dear reader,

According to research, the Dutch workthe least in the world. For several yearsnow, the Netherlands sat at the very bot-tom of the list when comparing coun-tries by the number of hours they work ayear (for the Dutch this was 1,381 hourson average).

Does this make it a country of lazy workers? The Netherlandsis certainly unique in the world in the way it does business.Compared to other cultures, the Dutch are unusually direct(don’t be surprised to get harsh, albeit heartfelt criticism), ab-normally egalitarian (the boss is merely the first among equals)and quickly distrustful of polite conversation (our low-contextcommunication doesn’t compute with business chit chat).

When making decisions, our egalitarianism requires that first,every single opinion is heard and taken into account. This ofcourse makes it a slow and lengthy process, which is onlybarely speeded up by our directness. Mind you, failure to dothis will likely cause a riot among Dutch employees.

We like to believe this leads to better and fairer outcomes – andit arguably does – but it occasionally also leads to awkwardcompromises that don’t really please anyone. We like to callthis the ‘Polder model’.

Although the Dutch are known for their language skills, their un-derstanding of foreign communication customs is not quite atthe same level. The use of subtlety, diplomacy and codedspeech can quickly cause problems. The typically British, un-derstated way of expressing your thoughts will without ex-ception lead to confusion and probably produce some unex-pected replies.

Then there is this curious tradition whereby lunch is hardly seenas a meal. Taking a full hour break for a hot meal is seen as ex-travagant and a waste of time. Instead a packed lunch of coldsandwiches, eaten at the desk, is the norm. I guess we mightas well be productive during those few hours we actually dowork.

Myriam Gwynned Dijck,Editor

Discover Benelux

Issue 15, March 2015

Published 02.2015

ISSN 2054-7218

Published by

Scan Group

Design & Print

Liquid Graphic Ltd.

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Cover Photo

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Discover Benelux | Design | Fashion Picks

M A r C H F A S H I O N P I C K S

Bold is beautifulBreak the mould and go bold this March. With spring slowly drawing closer, this is a great month to spice

up your wardrobe by adding some flashes of colour, statement items and vibrant prints.

TEXT: MYrIAM GWYNNED DIJCK | PrESS PHOTOS

1: City chicHidden in the urban landscape of this stun-ning multicolour printed dress is the name ofits designer: Dirk Bikkembergs. The Belgianfashion designer is part of the reveredAntwerp Six and created this neoprene zipdress for his latest winter collection.

Dress: €580

Ankle boots: €550

bikkembergs.com

2: Layers of styleThis beautiful eye catcher is part of the MarcLange collection Ozephius that is elegant andchic, mixed with bold and unconventional styles.Find his boutique in Alkmaar, the Netherlands.

€3,450

www.marclange.nl

1

2

3

3: The lion’s shareThe combination of deep colours and bold printof this red Lion Skater Dress by Luxembourgbrand Leopard by Belle Sauvage certainly getsa roar of approval from us.

€75

www.belle-sauvage.co.uk


Discover Benelux | Design | Fashion Picks

44: A world of contrastsThe contrast stitching of this turtle neck dresscreates an intricate and sporty silhouette.Thanks to the stunning cobalt blue colour,this zip dress from Dirk Bikkembergs’s wintercollection is sure to please us far into springthis year.

Dress: €470

Buckle boots: €500

bikkembergs.com

Issue 15 | March 2015 | 7

55: Skirting the lines The diagonal panels of this organic cotton miniskirt create sophisticated lines. Together with thevibrant yellow colour, they makes this Honest byBruno Pietes skirt irresistible.

€221

www.honestby.com


8 | Issue 15 | March 2015

Discover Benelux | Design | Desirable Designs

3: Elegant steel

This gorgeous display cabinet by Dutch designer

Sylvie Meuffels will make your treasured be-

longings look even more mesmerising. This de-

sign ‘Steel Cabinet #6” is part of a series of cab-

inets in various sizes and shapes made out of

sturdy powder-coated steel frames fitted with

glass.

€2844

www.jspr.eu

1: Aerial display

It is clear why designer Sébastien Boucquey

named this display unit ‘Suspension’ – the light-

weight shelves are held up by stainless steel

wires attached to the ceiling. The captivating

unit appears delicate and attracts a lot of light,

ideal for showing off beautiful objects, special

souvenirs or even flowering plants.

(Custom made, price upon request)

www.jo-a.eu

2: Concrete ideas

The sleek shape of the asymmetrical ‘Memento’

coffee table is as remarkable as the material.

Made out of concrete, it is strong, functional and

certainly durable. Created by the Luxembourg

design agency Stay Concrete, the table is avail-

able in various colours or as raw concrete.

€930

www.stayconcrete.com

4: Shifting desires

The smart sliding mechanism of the front pan-

elling allows any section of this ‘Objekten’ cup-

board by Brussels-based Alain Berteau to be re-

vealed or hidden away. Open them up in

irregular positions to create the perfect balance

between storage space and a playful display

cabinet. (Available in light and dark)

€1339

www.objekten.com

D E S I r A B L E D E S I G N S

A little flair on displayEvery lounge needs its centre piece. This month, we’ve selected some striking designs

that will instantly make their mark in a room. From refined coffee tables to sophisticated cabinets,they will become the focal point of finesse for your house.

TEXT: MYrIAM GWYNNED DIJCK | PrESS PHOTOS

2

4

1

3

5: Bold and beautiful

Crafted by Dutch designer Marcel Wanders, the

laser-cut steel base of this ‘Ken Table’ is prac-

tically a work of art. The bold, rounded shapes

are highlighted even further thanks to the clear,

reinforced glass top that is glued invisibly to the

base using UV technology.

(Price upon request)

www.quodes.com

5


Unexpected combinations of materials,

colours and ways of assembling. These are

the features of the beautiful jewellery made

by Marc Lange, a respected and award win-

ning jewellery designer from the Nether-

lands.

“I combine precious metals such as gold and

silver with industrial metals such as titanium

and black zirconium,” explains Lange, “you can

see this very well in ‘Ozephius’.” This is a beau-

tiful layered ring gently studded with diamonds.

“I finish one metal shiny, another one matt.”

This results in a beautiful contrast within the

jewel. “The twinkling diamonds add to this con-

trast even more!”

This way of playing with material is what dis-

tinguishes Lange’s designs. It is the result of

twenty years of experience in and a talent for

both the technical and creative side of creating

a jewel. Composing a ring like Ozephius re-

quires a whole different way of working than us-

ing only gold and metal: “Titanium and black

zirconium can’t be soldered, so I need to work

with them differently. I use small pins to gently

screw the different metals together and vice the

diamonds in the ring at the same time.” It is no

wonder Lange won the Dutch Design Compe-

tition for the second time last year!

Almost all jewels by Lange are custom made.

And they are worth traveling to Lange’s shop in

Alkmaar for, when, for instance, you are look-

ing for a wedding ring. Lange: “What’s better

than spending a romantic weekend in a beau-

tiful city when you’re on the hunt for a jewel

you’ll wear the rest of your life?”

www.marclange.nl

Surprising combinationsTEXT: JANINE STERENBORG | PHOTOS: MARC LANGE, ERNA FAUST

The way Marc Lange combines materials and coloursis what distinguishes his designs from regular gold andsilver jewellery.

Discover Benelux | Design feature | Marc Lange Jewellery


Discover Benelux | Cover Feature | Barry Atsma

10 | Issue 15 | March 2015


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 11

One of the country’s biggest stars on thesilver screen, Barry Atsma is a man ofmany talents. Fluent in Dutch, German andEnglish and speaking fair amount ofFrench, he writes, presents, acts – imper-sonating some of the nation’s most iconiccharacters – and made his Hollywood de-but last year.

Not someone for sitting still, we askedAtsma, if there is anything left on his pro-fessional bucket list. “A gritty action film ala Bruce Willis,” he quips. “That would befantastic. A real intense American actionfilm with fast cuts.” Having starred in agreat variety of projects including dramas,comedies, historical films and art house,action is probably one of the few genres hehasn’t touched on before.

Writing historyAtsma, 42, recently played a lead charac-ter in the Dutch historical epic Admiral(Michiel de Ruyter) alongside CharlesDance and rutger Hauer. With him in therole of politician Johan de Witt, the film isset in the 17th century ‘Golden Age’ whenthe Netherlands became the world’s fore-most economic and maritime power.

Speaking to him just after the premier inlate January, Atsma recalled the night inAmsterdam: “We were all radiating withpride, telling each other that we’ve beenpart of a truly historic film. That was reallyspecial,” and adds, “it contains such amaz-ing shots, it is a film of Hollywood stature.”

The film by roel reiné follows admiralMichiel de ruyter on his quest to defeatthe English fleet while a political rift isthreatening to tear the young Dutch re-public apart. Here, Johan de Witt is des-

perately trying to preach unity and toler-ance. Atsma: “I really enjoy playing his-torical characters, it gives me a hugeboost. I’m very interested in history and Ilike being able to let it inspire me andmake it part of my own story.”

In the skin of a master painterIn 2013 Atsma impersonated another im-portant Dutchmen: Vincent van Gogh.“This was one of my favourite projects. Itwas very inspiring,” he says. Van Goghwas known for sending countless lettersto his brother – sometimes several a day.This meant many of his personal feelingsand emotions have been documented ingreat detail. “I could read exactly how hefelt before and after a scene,” Atsmasays. “The summer when we shot it, I en-tered into a sort of Van Gogh tunnel. I’veactually taken on some of him with me,the passion and ruthlessness with whichhe painted. I think this made me becomea little stricter for myself – I have to makesomething of my life. No half measures.”

The television mini-series, Van Gogh, eenhuis voor Vincent was party set in France,

where the painter lived for several years un-til his death in 1890. To stay true to thefacts, Atsma had to do several scenes inFrench. “I can speak English and I’m fairlygood at German but French is not my bestlanguage,” he remembers. “It was fun, butit was also hard work to suddenly expressmyself in a different language.”

Father of the nationIt certainly wasn’t in vain, as the directorPim van Hoeve has recently asked Astmato be part of his upcoming project onWilliam of Orange, the ancestor of theDutch monarchy and founding father ofthe Dutch nation. “They are currently tryingto get the film funded, but this would beanother major milestone in my career. Inthat sense I’m counting myself lucky.”

Of course, with playing these importantcharacters comes the pressure of having tolive up to expectations. But Atsma does notsee this as a negative, “I read this quotefrom Billie Jean King, a famous tennisplayer: she said ‘pressure is a privilege’. Ifyou are under pressure that means you dosomething special where people watch you

B A r r Y A T S M A

Patron of the pastHaving appeared as some of the Netherlands’ most famous people from history, actor

Barry Atsma brings his nation’s past alive while looking forward to an international future.

TEXT: MYrIAM GWYNNED DIJCK | PHOTO: JErOME DE LINT


In 2013 Atsma impersonatedmaster painter Vincent van Gogh. Photo: Piotr Kukla


12 | Issue 15 | March 2015


and value what you do. Then it’s up to youhow you deal with it and keep it interestingfor yourself. And I have to say, I’m gettingbetter at it. I get more and more joy from myjob. So in that sense: bring it on!”

A true thrillerAtsma’s level-headedness was, however,briefly put to the test this January. Accused(Lucia de B.) was shortlisted with just nineother titles to be nominated for the Oscarfor best foreign language film. “I was quitenervous, it was really exciting,” he saysabout the announcement of the nominees.Unfortunately the courtroom drama wasn’tamong the final five. “It’s a shame, butthat’s the way of things. It would’ve beenfantastic to be in an Oscar nominated film.”

Accused, released last year, is based onone of the worst miscarriages of justice inthe Netherlands where nurse Lucia de Berkwas sentenced to life imprisonment for mul-tiple murders, despite being innocent. Afterspending almost seven years in prison, shewas finally released after a retrial in 2010.Atsma played hospital manager Jaap vanHoensbroeck, who is first convinced DeBerk’s arrest made the ward safer.

“Sometimes people make terrible mis-takes even if they mean well. This is in-

teresting and shows a different side,” hecomments. “This is of course an awfulstory – in the Netherlands we like tothink we have the correct morals in thecourtroom. These things only happen inAmerica, but they happened here too. Itwas good to be able to show this to theDutch audiences.”

Going globalAtsma’s ambitions are certainly not con-fined to national audiences. He’s alreadycompleted several television movies in Ger-many and last year his first English spokenproduction Hector and the Search for Hap-piness came out, where he acted next torosamund Pike and Simon Pegg. Earlierthis year, Atsma also had a guest appear-

ance in Episodes, an American comedyseries with Matt LeBlanc.

“I enjoy broadening my horizons, I’ve al-ways had that, I want to challenge myself.If I feel I get stuck or do the same thingsthen I naturally search for something new,”he says. “At some point I thought, I’m justgoing to do auditions abroad. It gives mework and I’m really proud of that.”

Having spent his childhood growing up inEngland, Greece, Brazil and the Nether-lands, Atsma believes this might havecontributed to his sense of restlessness.“I grew up with unrest, and I tried to findthis again as an actor. Now, I’m onceagain searching for this unrest abroad,” he

Atsma just started filming sequel Mannenharten 2, a Dutchromantic comedy. Photo: Dutch Filmworks

Atsma as music producer Dennis in Mannenharten. Photo: Dutch Filmworks


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 13


continues. Currently living in Utrecht, hesays he is not planning to move anytimesoon. “I have two daughters here, I’mvery fond of the Netherlands and I’m at-tached to my friends. I absolutely wouldnot want to change that.”

He adds: “The more I travel the world,the more I realise how incredibly liberaland free the Netherlands is. That isunique in the world.”

Telling his storyLast year he also made his presenting de-but in the real-life series Down for Dum-mies. In the television programme, Atsma,who grew up with a brother with Downsyndrome, followed the lives of three girlswith the genetic disorder. “This made itvery personal, it was very much my ownstory, and in a way I am trying to find moreof these things,” he explains. “As an actorI’m increasingly trying to pull things myway and have more influence on the script.I try to tell my own story, which I really en-joy and currently I’m also writing scripts.”

This spring, Atsma already has a busyschedule. He is currently shooting Man-nenharten 2, sequel to the popular Dutchcomedy Mannenharten from two yearsago. In Germany, he will play a lead char-acter in Die letzte Spur (The Last Track) after the detective bestseller by writerCharlotte Link. Next, he will film Knielen opeen bed violen after the famous literarynovel by Jan Siebelink.

“I’ve got a nice mix here: I do a romcom, athriller and a historic 1950s project afterone of the most famous books in Dutch lit-erature,” he chuckles just before we wrapup our phone conversation. At the end hesays “I’ve got to be at my German classanyway, so I’ve got to hang now!”

From acting to art

Did you know: Atsma is also the voice of

the audio tour for the exhibition Late Rem-

brandt. Showing over 100 works of rem-

brandt in his final years, the exhibition at

the rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is the

first of its kind (until 17 May).

In the historic epic Admiral that was released in January,Atsma played politician Johan de Witt. Photos: A-Film


14 | Issue 15 | March 2015

“CWT research shows that you lose ap-proximately seven hours of productivetime per business trip, due to travelstress,” explains Jan Latenstein vanVoorst, director of sales, marketing andcommunications Benelux. “We serve smalland big companies as well as governmentinstitutions, and organisations in the off-shore and marine sector. They all have dif-ferent needs, but we are specialists in pro-viding custom-made travel arrangementsfor all of them.

“Good examples are offshore companieswith oil and gas drilling operations in theocean. They may need transport for onehundred people at the same time. Wearrange flights for all these people, includ-

ing a 24/7 service for our offshore clientsworldwide. In case of an emergency, like abig storm for example, we are able to startevacuating people quickly,” Latenstein vanVoorst says.

“We also serve other parties, like the Dutchpolice, where confidentiality is vital. All con-fidential information is treated by us with theutmost care. If needed, we develop and im-plement extra procedures and regulationsto deal with it.”

More than a trip from A to BA custom-made travel arrangement for onetraveller can consist of a single flight orcomplete door-to-door advice. And clientsof CWT can easily book their own trip via

an online booking tool or the special travelapp CWT To GoTM. Latenstein van Voorst:“When booking, you’ll see all possible tripsthat are in accordance with your corporatetravel policy. For instance when it’s allowedto fly business class on long flights, thoseflights will pop up as a possibility. When it’snot allowed, it will be marked in red, andbefore finalising the booking, we need ap-proval from the manager in charge.”

That is just one of the many features of thehandy booking system. The services ofCWT do not stop once the booking hasbeen made though. “Our app monitorsyour scheduled flights and when there is adelay, a strike on your route, a change ofterminal, or anything else that affects your

The most stressful aspect of business travel might just be dealing with delays, rescheduling appointments and other changes in your travel plan. The service of Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) unburdens you during your trip,

so you can focus on what is important: your business.

Beating business travel stress

Discover Benelux | Special Feature | Carlson Wagonlit Travel

TEXT: JANINE STErENBOrG | PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES / HESTEr DOOVE


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 15

trip, you will get a push notification on yourmobile device,” he says. All of this adds toCWT’s ultimate goal to offer business trav-ellers the perfect business trip.

Even after travelling the app comes inhandy. “You can manage all costs relatedto your trip (flights, hotel stays and similar)directly in the app, since they are auto-matically added. So you have a completeoverview of your travel expenses,” explainsLatenstein van Voorst.

A productive business tripThe interpretation of ‘the perfect businesstrip’ is of course different for everyone, butthanks to research CWT conducted them-selves, they are aware of a general con-sensus on this subject. Latenstein vanVoorst: “We researched the relationshipbetween the travel policy of companiesand the stress level of travelling employees.It turns out: the stricter the travel policy, themore stress the travellers experience.”

And as we learned earlier: this costs anaverage of seven productive hours per

trip. “To compose ‘the perfect trip’, wecombine the financial and comfort-relateddemands of all parties involved, and findthe best possible balance.” Every yearCWT conducts a study on company’stravel priorities. He adds: “We use theseresults to advise businesses on travelmanagement priorities.”

It is a good example of the proactive ap-proach of CWT: they embrace technicaldevelopments and put them to use. Laten-stein van Voorst: “The future of travel book-ing will be mobile only. In China peoplehardly use a laptop or pc anymore, it’s alltablets and smartphones. We will be head-ing in that same direction.”

Travel for funIn Belgium and Luxembourg Carlson Wag-onlit Travel also offers travel plans for leisuretrips. “Employees of our clients can bookinteresting holiday packages of all sorts viaa dedicated website. If you are not affiliatedwith us, you can drop by in one of ourtravel agencies in the bigger cities in Bel-gium and Luxemburg.”

cwtvakanties.becwtvacances.be

About Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) is theworld’s largest business-focused travelagency, represented in almost 150countries worldwide with one or multipleoffices. All 19,000 employees are dedi-cated to arranging the best possible tripfor business travellers. In the BeneluxCWT has ten offices.

carlsonwagonlit.nl

carlsonwagonlit.be

Stay informed on business travel

CWT also has its own online businesstravel magazine in Dutch: Connect. Itcontains lots of interesting info on busi-ness travel trends and developments,destinations, interviews and more. Youcan read this online magazine on yoursmartphone, tablet or PC/laptop.

cwtconnect.nl

Discover Benelux | Special Feature | Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Right: Jan Latenstein van Voorst Photo: Hester Doove


Discover Benelux | Special Theme | Dining among the Stars

S P E C I A L T H E M E

Dining among the starsIn the last few years, the fine dining scene in the Netherlands has shot up the culinary ladder. Over one hundred

restaurants now boast one or more Michelin stars – the ultimate endorsement of quality and hospitality.

Privileged to produce many fresh ingredients locally, the country can count itself among the top in the world in terms of gastronomy. Get your appetite ready for this Special Theme: Dining among the stars, presenting some of the most

ambitious and creative chefs of the Netherlands’ haute cuisine.

16 | Issue 15 | March 2015


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 17

The fine dining scene in the Netherlands ischaracterised by the combination of inter-national flavours, influences from the tradi-tional French haute cuisine and fresh, pureingredients. A long history of growing andproducing has given the country a wealthof quality home-grown produce. Our fea-tured Michelin star restaurants know wherethe find the best and most flavoursomeingredients and turn them into wondroustaste explosions.

This Special Theme highlights several toprestaurants located throughout the coun-try, including in rotterdam, nearby Ams-terdam, roermond, Eindhoven and theDutch island of Texel. Each has somethingspecial to offer alongside their stand outdishes, from beautiful decors to speciallocations and gorgeous wine selections.Discover here your next favourite restau-rant, we guarantee it will be a night to re-member.

Hidden inside the grand Philips Stadium in

Eindhoven, overlooking the famous grounds,

is Michelin star restaurant Avant-Garde. Lo-

cated on the third floor, guests are treated to

a superb dining experience with a stunning

view over the pitch – home to one of the

Netherlands’ top football clubs, PSV.

Open for lunch and dinner, Avant-Garde prides

itself on its classic French cuisine with modern

Dutch influences. The menu is created by Chef

Johan van Groeninge from nearby Tilburg, giv-

ing the dishes a slight, local twist and a charac-

teristic Brabants, down-to-earth approach. With

almost 40 years of experience, Van Groeninge

combines the elegance of classical techniques

with modern simplicity using pure ingredients.

Avant-Garde also offers attractive dining

packages, including a business lunch and din-

ner served on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thurs-

day. With its unique location, the restaurant is

the perfect place for a memorable meal away

from the office for a set price. The menus cover

all you require; a two course meal, a glass of

wine, ice water and coffee for lunch (€40 per

person) and dinner includes an extra course

and two glasses of wine (€65 per person).

Apart from the regular football games (for

which restaurant reservations are arranged

through PSV), the stadium also hosts special

events and concerts. This summer, Dutch singer

Guus Meeuwis is set to fill the entire stadium

during five days in June. For an unforgettable

night of music and fine dining, restaurant Avant-

Garde accepts bookings for these concerts; go

to the website to find out more.

restaurantavantgarde.nl

Pitch perfect dining


TEXT: MYrIAM GWYNNED DIJCK | PHOTO: rESTAUrANT AVANT-GArDE VAN GrOENINGE


18 | Issue 15 | March 2015


run by Chef Edwin Soumang and front-of-house Bethany DeLong, restaurant Oneoffers a fine dining experience at reason-able prices and in a relaxing setting. “Wewant people to have a good time and feelat home,” Bethany says. “We offer excel-lent fine dining, but you won’t feel bad forlaughing out loud here.”

The couple met when they were working to-gether in the Sydney Opera House in Aus-tralia where Bethany recounts that Edwintried to woo her with his chocolate cake. Afew years later, in 2007, they opened theirown restaurant together. Bethany wasn’tthe only one who fell for Soumang’s cook-ing. Within three years, restaurant One wasawarded its first Michelin star. She adds:“They hadn’t even notified us, so we werereally surprised. When a friend congratu-lated us, we thought it was a joke!”

They soon outgrew their initial location andin 2012 the restaurant reopened on the other

side of roermond in a former factory hall, theECI Cultuurfabriek. The raw industrial struc-ture with stainless steel roof and graffiti onthe concrete walls stands in stark contrastwith the soft and comfortable furnishings.“We wanted a place that people wouldn’t in-stantly think of as a restaurant. The atmos-phere and the location add another dimen-sion to the experience,” she says.

The restaurant has a very refined feeling toit, while keeping a welcoming atmosphere.

Bethany adds: “Many people says it’s likebeing in a restaurant in London or NewYork – it has an international flair to it.”

Bethany describes their food as “newDutch cuisine”, using many local productswith influences from their own experiencesand travels abroad. “We work with recog-nisable and everyday products and Edwinturns them into spectacular dishes. Weuse what is in season so our menuchanges all the time,” she continues. “Wealso aim to be responsible so we don’tserve endangered species such as certainfish: let’s save the tuna!”

restaurant One also has a loft area for pri-vate parties. The more adventurous dinercan book a table for up to five people in-side the kitchen and see the chefs at work.

www.restaurantone.nl

The moment you enter restaurant One in Roermond it is like walking into a new world. The industrial building with rawconcrete walls has a surprisingly warm and welcoming feel to it. Combined with a locally sourced menu with exquisite

dishes, the restaurant has proved to be a formula for success.

TEXT: MYrIAM GWYNNED DIJCK | PHOTOS: : rESTAUrANT ONE

Fine dining in absolute comfort


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 19


restaurant manager Ingrid Buikema iskeen to point out that the restaurant isopen to all: “We keep the threshold low.The aim is the experience – to let guestsenjoy a great meal accompanied by beau-tiful wines. A Michelin star is wonderfulbut people don’t have to know this. It is allabout being comfortable. We try to pres-ent our dishes in plain language withoutusing expensive words.”

Chef Wim Severein takes an original ap-proach to his menu, instead of beginningwith the meat, he creates his meals withseasonal vegetables and fruit from aroundthe world as a starting point. “Wim is al-ways talking to growers and suppliers tofind the best possible ingredients that areproduced with care and have the mostflavour,” she says.

Museum visitors who only want a quickbite can go to the recently opened sand-wich bar. Buikema: “We cater for every type

of visitor. We also have a museum gift shopwhere people can buy certain products weuse in the restaurant, such as our olive oil.”

Upstairs from the restaurant are threebeautiful rooms that can be rented out.The smaller room is perfect for businessmeetings and private parties, and thegrand ballroom and salon – completewith magnificent chandeliers – can holdup to 450 people. Events manager Fennavan Beurden, says: “Both halls have awonderful classical look, they have thesame historical atmosphere as the rest ofthe museum building.”

With the museum, shop and restaurant allin one place, these can be combined intoexciting packages. “During a businessconvention, the museum can be visited asa break; we can organise private guidedtours outside of opening hours; andthrough the shop we can arrange for orig-inal gifts,” Van Beurden says.

The permanent collection of the museumcomprises of fascinating objects from theAsia-Pacific region including a full sized Ti-betan temple that was blessed by theDalai Lama last May.

Currently the Wereldmuseum has a spe-cial exhibition on called Gold of the Gods(until 28 June), showcasing the world’smost extensive collection of exquisiteJavanese gold from the seventh to theeleventh centuries.

www.wereldmuseum.nl/en/restaurant

A visit to the Wereldmuseum in Rotterdam (World Museum) can be much more than a cultural trip. Located in the same Victorian building is its restaurant, crowned with a Michelin star, that is of equal appeal

as the museum’s global collection.

TEXT: MYrIAM GWYNNED DIJCK | PHOTOS: WErELDMUSEUM rESTAUrANT

Where culture and cuisine collide


20 | Issue 15 | March 2015


“Humour is very important, we regularlydo fun things like taking guests on aglobal journey of flavours with various ap-petisers, or the ‘message in a bottle’where we serve food in a bottle, and wedo crazy things with digital tablets andthe like,” says Chef Gerrits.

Gerrits and Paulina certainly set the barhigh – they want their restaurant to be theirown favourite dining place. “What we do isvery difficult. We don’t want to be expen-sive but still give our farmers and produc-ers a fair price. We use as many regionalproducts as possible as flavour diminishesduring transport. We cherry-pick the finestingredients and greatest wines availableand serve only the best,” Gerrits says.

The old farmhouse was built in 1836 andturned into a catering establishment in the1980s. Before Gerrits and his wife Paulinatook over, it had been a bistro for several

years. He says: “The name, ‘the little Amsterdammer’, refers to the first owner:he came from Amsterdam and was ap-parently quite small. We thought the namecarried history with it, so we kept it and justadded ‘André Gerrits’ at the end.”

recently renovated, it now boasts awarm and stylish interior and a large,open kitchen at the heart of the restau-rant. For guests who are curious to getthe real inside view, ‘t Amsterdammertjeoffers a seat at the ‘Chef’s table’. Gerritsexplains: “The table is attached to thekitchen and at the same height as thecounter tops so you can see and heareverything. Especially for businesses, thisis a great way to experience the restau-rant from a different side.”

‘t Amsterdammertje also has an upstairsarea for private parties and special occa-sions and the restaurant is registered as

an official wedding location. “We are firstand foremost a restaurant, but it is also awonderful place for weddings and events.We try to be flexible: everything can bediscussed,” he says.

‘t Amsterdammertje André Gerrits is lo-cated in Loenen aan de Vecht, just atwenty-minute drive south of Amsterdam.It is open for lunch and dinner on Tuesdaysto Fridays and dinner alone on Saturdays.

restaurantamsterdammertje.nl

Located in a historic farmhouse, Michelin star restaurant ‘t Amsterdammertje is a place where dining and entertainmentcollide. Owners André Gerrits and Geneviève Paulina give guests an unforgettable and enjoyable experience every day.

TEXT: MYrIAM GWYNNED DIJCK | PHOTOS: ‘T AMSTErDAMMErTJE

Food and festivities


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 21


“We wanted to be the best restaurant onthe island. I guess it’s gotten a little bit outof hand,” Chef Jef Schuur laughs, referringto the Michelin star the restaurant wasawarded in 2009. “We didn’t want theplace to be stern and rigid. We make ourguests feel at home and personally wel-come them like they are good friends.”

Originally from Texel, Schuur started therestaurant 19 years ago together with som-melier and fellow islander Nadine Mögling.Bij Jef (At Jef’s) combines the restaurant’srelaxing setting with dishes created fromthe island’s finest ingredients. “Texel has awealth of beautiful local products, all kindsof North Sea fish, oysters, mussels and

cockles but also asparagus and of coursethe lamb. You’ll never have tasted any-thing like it, our lamb is so delicate and de-licious, it is absolutely incredible,” Schuursays enthusiastically.

Adding even more to the experience isMögling’s selection of wines. The reveredculinary critics of Gault Millau recentlyawarded her the title of the Netherlands’best food/wine specialist and thereby thefirst woman to gain this title. Schuur com-ments: “Nadine puts a lot of time and pas-sion into finding the best wines. It is allabout ultimate enjoyment: combining ex-cellent food with the perfect wine makesthe whole meal three times better.”

To make your trip complete, Bij Jef’s regu-larly arranges walking tours around the is-land with a local dune farmer. “He does alittle round of the animals every day and isoften able to do a tour while he’s doing it.He knows an immense amount about theisland, so this is a great thing to do!”Schuur says.

Hotel restaurant Bij Jef is open Wednesdayto Sunday for dinner, and will be open dailyin July and August. The hotel offers luxurysuites that are available throughout theweek.

www.bijjef.nl

The rolling Wadden Sea, the salty ocean breeze and the endless dunes and fields – this is the backdrop of hotel andrestaurant Bij Jef. Located on Texel, a Dutch island just a twenty-minute boat trip from Den Helder, the restaurant is the

perfect escape for relaxation, and one that comes with extraordinary food.

TEXT: MYrIAM GWYNNED DIJCK | PHOTOS: BIJ JEF

Culinary treasures of Texel

Texel produces a wealth of ingredients locally, including North Sea fish, shellfish, asparagus and lamb.


22 | Issue 15 | March 2015

At Henri Willig, tradition and innovation gohand in hand. The family-owned business,now in the hands of the second genera-tion, goes against all the current trends ofmodern companies becoming increasinglybigger and more anonymous. And withsuccess.

“Our motto is ‘straight from countryside toclient’. This means we keep our productioncycle short and our brand personal andhonest,” managing director Wiebe Willigexplains. “We keep an eye on the entirecheese making process so we have a lot ofknowledge and we use this to constantlyimprove ourselves. This is something thatreally appeals to people.”

Excellent milk, excellent cheeseFor a Henri Willig cheese, only the bestmilk is acceptable so all their cows live

outdoors. “The better quality the milk, thebetter the cheese will be. It all begins in thefield, we don’t work with farmers whokeep their cows indoors. Our cows grazeoutdoors in the Dutch Polders, below sealevel. You can really taste this in thecheese,” he says.

Wiebe believes consumers are more andmore looking for brands that care aboutthe wellbeing of their cattle. Although thecompany doesn’t own any cows at themoment, by the end of the year this is allgoing to change. He adds: “We are plan-ning to get a herd of 120 cows so we canstart making our own organic cheese.”

A world of flavoursBut cow’s milk is not the only kind they use.Henri Willig sells around 30 differentflavours and types of cheese, including

ones made out of goat’s milk, sheep’s milkand recently also buffalo milk. Each year,six new (sometimes rather adventurous)flavours are introduced so they constantlyupdate their selection of cheeses availablein the dozens of Henri Willig shops. Wiebesays: “Not long ago we started selling co-conut cheese, goat’s cheese with lavenderand even asparagus cheese.”

The all-time favourite is still their red-coated Gouda. Thanks to their decades ofexperience, even this cheese is all butstandard. “For hundreds of years theDutch have improved their cheeses. Wecombine this knowledge with our own ex-perience to add further finesse to thecheese making process, perfecting do -sages and timings to get maximumflavour,” Wiebe says and adds: “A goodcheese melts in your mouth!”

For centuries, the Dutch have been famous across the world for their flavoursome and creamy cheeses. In 1974, Henri Willig, took on this knowledge and started his own cheese brand. Now, over 40 years later, the company has

reached near perfection with their rich and tasty cheeses.

TEXT: MYrIAM GWYNNED DIJCK | PHOTOS: HENrI WILLIG

The pinnacle of cheese making

Discover Benelux | Food Feature | Henri Willig


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 23

Another new type Henri Willig introduced isa mix of cow’s and sheep’s milk. “This oneis less outspoken as a typical sheep’scheese but still has that characteristicflavour. It takes a lot of technique to pro-duce mixed cheeses, so they are quiterare,” Wiebe says.

A dairy in actionTo learn more about cheese and the deli-cate cheese making process, people canvisit the Henri Willig dairies the Jacobs Ho-eve, the Alida Hoeve and the CatharinaHoeve, all three at less than half an hour’sdrive north of Amsterdam. Open daily, en-try to the cheese dairies is free of chargeand a member of staff will explain in detailhow cheese is made.

“We will give you a personal tour aroundthe dairy where you can see how cheeseis actually made,” Wiebe comments. “Weoffer a professional demonstration and wecan explain the cheese making process in12 different languages. If you want to try

out some of our cheese at the end of it,you can of course visit the shop next tothe dairy.”

The Jacobs Hoeve in Katwoude, the AlidaHoeve in Volendam and Catharina Hoevelocated at the windmill village ‘ZaanseSchans’ are open daily from 9am to 6pm;for more information visit the website.

www.cheesefarms.com/en/www.henriwillig.com/en/

Cheese perfection – how it’s made

First, the milk is heated up to 30 de-

grees Celsius. Next, a bacterial culture

and rennet are added to thicken the

milk, turning it into a pudding-like sub-

stance. With big knives the mixture is

broken up so it separates into liquid

whey and solid curds.

The whey is drained and the curds

(about 10 per cent of the total) are

pressed into cheese moulds for 30 to

45 minutes where they get their typical

round shape.

The cheeses are then transported from

the dairy to the Henri Willig warehouse

via a salt bath. Their miniature, 400

gram cheeses stay in there for around

12 hours.

To seal-in the delicate flavour and pre-

pare them for transport, the cheeses are

coated with paraffin – each type of

cheese has its own colour. After matur-

ing for 3.5 weeks, the cheeses are

ready to taste.

Discover Benelux | Food Feature | Henri Willig


Huize van Wely, since 1922, is a nationallyand internationally renowned patisseriehouse. Famous for its pastry and pralines,it is equally known for its ‘glacerie’ or arti-san ice cream. Unsurprisingly, Huize vanWely has been a supplier to the DutchRoyal Family for decades.

‘The taste of pure perfection’ is its motto.With an assortment of 600 products, allentirely handmade in-house, it is a truly ar-tisan business that has represented au-thentic and pure products for many years,without the use of artificial flavourings orpreservatives.

All products can be divided into three pro-duction lines: patisserie, chocolaterie and

glacerie. Huize van Wely creates dozens ofdifferent tarts, cakes, biscuits and savourypastries. With a choice of 30 different typesof bouchées (large chocolates that fill themouth – ‘bouche’ in French) and 20 typesof chocolate truffles, thus the choice inchocolate products is phenomenal. Alsothe different kinds of ice cream and icecream cakes are much loved and are fre-quently purchased as a dessert.

CraftThe artisan specialists at Huize van Welyare all immensely passionate about thebusiness. They put their heart into theproducts, the shops and the warm, per-sonal service. Chef de patisserie, JoostRotteveel, is head of the chocolaterie and

patisserie departments. He is a true crafts-man and has won many prizes. Five timesin a row he became the Dutch patisseriechampion, a European patisserie cham-pion and he came third at the patisserieworld championships in Baden-Baden,Germany.

With all his knowledge of the craft and hisdetermination to innovate, the drive to con-vey this to his enthusiastic team and pupilsis second to none. He encourages andgives his team the opportunity to competein national and international competitions.Rotteveel: “Within my field of expertise, theone and only thing I do is to get the bestout of my team. If you do what you’re trulypassionate about, then you can reach

TEXT & PHOTOS: HUIZE VAN WELY SINCE 1922

H U I Z E V A N W E LY S I N C E 1 9 2 2

Innovation and a love for the craft

Discover Benelux | Food Feature | Huize van Wely

24 | Issue 15 | March 2015


Issue 11 | November 2014 | 25

great heights. You’ll continue to grow andstay motivated.”

The School of Van WelyOver the years, Huize van Wely, has alsobecome a training centre for the craft of thepatissier, chocolatier and glacier, alsocalled the ‘School of Van Wely’. Huize vanWely thrives on craftsmanship, love for theprofession and perfectionism. All patissiers,chocolatiers and glaciers work inventivelyand have a great eye for even the smallestdetail. For decades, Huize van Wely hasbeen notable for innovation and gainingand sharing knowledge. Getting countlessinternship applications every year, it is thetop knowledge centre and trainee kitchenfor students. In the past few years, the‘School of Van Wely’ has produced manyrenowned patissiers and chocolatiers, ofwhich it is very proud.

Sharing knowledgeFollowing the fame of renowned chefs, in-cluding those in the Netherlands, it is nowtime for the patissiers and chocolatiers totake the limelight and share their knowl-

edge and expertise. Patisserie is true craftin its own right. Because of this great in-terest, Huize van Wely offers clients andthose curious to look behind the scenesentry into a suitable collaboration. Togetherwith one of the largest cookery schools ofthe Netherlands ‘The Kookerij Culinary Col-lege’, a unique series of individual work-shops has been developed, open to all toparticipate: pralines, savoury pastries,macaroons, ice cream and haute patis-serie. For more information about theseworkshops visit www.kookerij.com

The power of chocolateThe quality chocolate of Huize van Wely is,apart from delicious, a powerful naturalproduct. Did you know that the cocoa inthe chocolate, particularly in the dark vari-eties, holds many active ingredients thatare beneficial to us?

Good quality chocolate contains antioxi-dants that help protect us against cardio-vascular diseases and can even reduceinflammation. It increases the serotoninand endorphin levels in the brain and can

improve your mood thanks to the theo-bromine and phenylethylamine content.These same chemicals are also producedby the brain when we fall in love.

www.huizevanwely.nl

Noordwijk aan Zee – Amsterdam –Heemstede – Jakarta

The team at Huize van Wely. From left to right: patissier robin Hoedjes (former patissier at The Victorian in Kuwait), Chef de patisserie and chocolaterie Joost rotteveel andsous-chef Peter remmelzwaal (member of the Dutch patisserie team).

Discover Benelux | Food Feature | Huize van Wely

Issue 15 | March 2015 | 25


26 | Issue 15 | March 2015

racoon was founded in Utrecht in 1997 bysinger Bart van der Weide and guitaristDennis Huige, later accompanied by bassplayer Stefan de Kroon and drummer PaulBukkens. Three years later, their debut al-bum Till Monkeys Fly was released, whichled them to play the Netherlands’ mainfestivals and music clubs.

After being ditched by their record com-pany in 2002, racoon took matters intotheir own hands. Over the last decade orso, this resulted in critically acclaimed al-bums and the band has just been named’the Netherlands’ greatest indie band’.

Through the years, racoon’s music grewup, simultaneously with its members.

The songWhat has not changed in almost twentyyears, is the core of racoon’s music. “Wealways strive for the perfect pop song,even though we know it doesn’t exist,” ex-plains guitarist Dennis Huige. It is a goodgoal to aspire to though. The first timeracoon sat down for All in Good Time wasin the fall of 2013. “The four of us rented acabin in national park The Veluwe for aweek. That’s where we emptied our idea-filled buckets, so to speak.”

On The Veluwe, the ideas for the songs onAll in Good Time came to fruition. Closingtrack Fun We Had is actually the result ofan idea that was on the shelves for over tenyears. Huige: “Stefan started playing itagain and soon the song was born.” Itdoesn’t always go that smoothly though:merging all these ideas and reaching con-sensus about whether an idea is good orbad was quite a struggle.

Working with Wouter van BelleThat’s where producer Wouter van Bellecame in. “With his fresh perspective hehelped us condense our material to the

The Netherland’s most huggable band Racoon released their promising new album All in Good Time last month. Itcontains the well-arranged pop songs for which the band became famous over the last couple of years. The ‘song’ willalways be the core of Racoon’s music, but after six albums it was time to let go of the typical song structure and make

more room for music.

TEXT: JANINE STErENBOrG | PrESS PHOTOS

R A C O O N

All in good time

Discover Benelux | Music Feature | racoon


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 27

eleven songs that made it to the final cut.”Van Belle is someone the band trusts com-pletely. Huige: “We worked with him onour previous record Liverpool Rain as well.We trust his judgement, he has a lot of mu-sical baggage, a taste in music thatmatches ours and he is good at arrangingsongs.”

On the album you will hear instrumentssuch as keyboards, strings and brass in-struments and flutes. Huige: “But the in-struments always serve the song, insteadof the other way around. It has alwaysbeen important to us to make a pop songwith a verse, chorus and a bridge, but inour current songs we made more room formusic. The songs are still songs whenplayed on only a guitar though!”

Back to the rootsAll members originally hail from Zeeland, aprovince in the south-west of the Nether-lands that consists of a number of islands,largely surrounded by the North Sea. Hav-ing kids is one of the reasons for three ofthe four members to go back to Zeeland

about six years ago. To the city of Goes, tobe exact. “When we lived in Utrecht, thefour of us shared a house. Our singer Bartwas the first of us to move back. After sixmonths he visited us again and said: ‘Whatis everybody making such a fuss about?Take it easy people!’ We laughed andcalled him a peasant.”

Six months later, Huige followed Van derWeide and not long after De Kroon joinedtoo. “I always thought that when I movedback to Zeeland, it would be the first steptowards the end. But actually I love it here.A home with a garden is affordable, familyis around and it is nice to have the oceanso close by. Life in Zeeland is much slower.Besides, it’s busy enough to be in a bandand it’s nice to go home to the peace andquiet.”

Their move back to Zeeland and thechanging music are definitely related. “Thelast couple of records are more tranquil,now that life is more peaceful. We are notled by trends anymore, which has led totimeless music,” Huige concludes.

racoon just released their sixth studio album All in Good Time. From left to right: bass player Stefan de Kroon, singer Bart van der Weide, guitarist Dennis Huige and drum-mer Paul Bukkens.

Racoon is currently touring the

Netherlands. Many shows are sold out,

but at the time of print, there are still

tickets available for the concerts in

Apeldoorn (9 May) and Zoetermeer

(16 May).

www.racoon.nl

Discover Benelux | Music Feature | racoon


28 | Issue 15 | March 2015

Capital of the southern province of Hain-aut, with just under 95,000 inhabitants,Mons has an active cultural scene and aremarkable past. In modern history, thecity is best known as the location for thefirst battle of the British Army in the GreatWar in August 1914. But its early historydates back to the 7th century, whenMons (or Bergen in Dutch, named afterthe hill it was built on) developed into a re-spectable town.

The rich historical heritage is also high-lighted by the architecture of the old cen-tre which includes the imposing St Wau-dru’s Collegiate Church, the gothic-styleTown Hall and the unique 87-metre highBelfry. The latter, locally known as ‘El Ca-tiau’ was built in the 17th century, con-tains a 49-bell carillon and is the onlybaroque belfry in the country.

Mons’s history is also encapsulated in thepopular 650 year old folklore event Doudou(or Ducasse), this year heldon 31 May. Starting with aprocession of the Car d’Or, agilded carriage, carrying StWaltrude’s remains, the fes-tivities come to a spectacularclimax with the ‘Lumeçon’battle, where St George onhorseback slays the dragonin the city square.

The region is also worth a visit. Nearby are theancient flint mines of Spiennes, coveringsome 100 hectares. They are Europe'slargest and earliest Neolithic mines where flintstone was quarried from 4300 to 2200 BC.

Moreover, Mon’s surrounding Borinage dis-trict has a stirring industrial heritage thanks

to the coalmining that took place there sincethe Middle Ages. The mining complex of

Grand Hornu (now an arts cen-tre) is a remarkable example ofan early 19th century industrialcomplex – when the mining inthe region experienced itspeak. The Borinage is alsowhere Vincent van Gogh madethe transition from being apreacher to an artist, while livingamong a local mining commu-nity. The exhibition Vincent van

Gogh in the Borinage (until 17 May) at Bamin Mons pays tribute to the master painter ofsome exceptional works of art.

It is clear the small town of Mons is an ex-cellent touristic destination, and as thisyear’s Cultural Capital of Europe, a visit isnot to be missed.

The Belgian town of Mons is the first Walloon city to be crowned European Capital of Culture. And it certainly ismaking the most of it. Hosting over 300 different events throughout the year, with the help of 400 organisations, 1,200

ambassadors and 5,000 artists, 2015 will be a year to remember.

TEXT: MYrIAM GWYNNED DIJCK

M I N I T H E M E

Culture capital Mons

Photo: Gregory Mathelot Photo: Georges De Kinder

Photo: Icarus Projects

Photo: David Bormans

Discover Benelux | Mini Theme | Culture Capital Mons

Van Gogh, The sower Photo: Kro� ller-Mu� ller Museum


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 29

Discover Benelux | Introducing | Jean-Paul Lespagnard

He is the face of Mons 2015 – this year’sCultural Capital of Europe – he is a Bel-gian artist and a talented fashion de-signer: Jean-Paul Lespagnard. Cur-rently based in Brussels, he started hisown fashion label just five years agoand it already has outlets all over theworld. We caught up with him to findout more.

DB: You first studied social economics inLiège before switching to art and then fash-ion. What attracted you to do fashion?

JPL: It is my way of talking about what ishappening in the world and it’s about be-ing creative, these are things that connectall three subjects. I use fashion as amedium to bring people together.

DB: For those who don’t know your brand,how would you describe it?

JPL: It consists of a classical wardrobewith a twist, usually by adding fun ele-ments. I get my inspiration from popularculture and I mix it with ethnic influences.

DB: As an up-and-coming fashion de-signer from Wallonia, the organisers ofMons 2015 asked you to be part of theircelebrations. What did you do?

JPL: Firstly, for the opening night in JanuaryI produced 20,000 unique capes for thespectators to wear. The topic for the nightwas ‘dazzle’ so I made them out of thermalmaterial with a reflecting, silver-like coating.They were lightweight, so they were bothaesthetically pleasing and practical.

DB: What else do you have in store forMons 2015?

JPL: From now till June I will be doing a se-ries of workshops, including for young chil-

dren where they can design their own fash-ion items, but also for adults. Then in Au-gust my art exhibition Till We Drop willopen. We try to organise things to get allkinds of different people involved.

DB: Tell me more about you as an artist.

JPL: In my art I combine elements of fash-ion, art and dance. Fashion is about sellingproducts, but with art, this isn’t the case.You don’t have to be commercial so youcan be freer and more creative.

DB: Your current collection ‘Le Savoir-Faire’ has quite an eccentric theme to it:the production of meat, and it includes afashion video in a sausage factory. Wheredid this come from?

JPL: I wanted to draw a parallel betweenthe production of meat and the productionof fashion. People don’t really know howthings are made or where they come from.I wanted to confront people with thisthought but allow them to have their ownopinion about it.

I N T r O D U C I N G

Jean-Paul LespagnardTEXT: MYrIAM GWYNNED DIJCK | PHOTOS: JEAN-PAUL LESPAGNArD / DENIS rOUVrE / DAVID BOMANS


30 | Issue 15 | March 2015


A firm believer in the motto "there is nogood meal without a great desert",founder Camille Druart decided to re-invent the craft of chocolate-makingfollowing an already successful careerin luxury gastronomy, in which he hasbeen thriving since 1982.

An entrepreneurial self-learner, Druart soonstood out among his peers in the world ofchocolate with his ground-breaking recipesinspired by his knowledge and passion forthe confection of sauces ... hence the Dru-art brand was born. Today, the chocolatiercan be found in the beautiful valley of Hon-nelles nearby Mons in Belgium, which isregularly visited by cocoa aficionados andhas gained such renown that for 20 yearsthe Maison Druart has been a supplier forthe first-class Maison Fauchon in Paris.

For visitors passing through Mons, Druartinvites them to stop-over at the majesticbakery, tea-room and restaurant of Saint

Germain. Ideally located in a grand houseon the main square, this partner-establish-ment offers a large selection of the choco-late-maker's creations.

With an innate curiosity for new flavours,Druart has been able to bring togetheringredients from exciting and exoticplaces around the world to produce anew kind of chocolate that is unique intaste and texture. In the chocolatier'swide repertoire, chocolate lovers will finda ‘coconut milk and curry’ mixture fromThailand, a ‘Bahia’ coconut moussemixed with rum from Brazil or an explosivespicy mix from Japan affectionatelynamed ‘Wasabi’. A recent addition to thecollection is the ‘Coffret Whisky’ – a rarecombination of millennial Scottish andJapanese whiskies, allying their strongtaste with the subtle notes of chocolate.

Devoted to create high-quality products,the cocoa beans are guaranteed to come

from the best suppliers and are carefullycontrolled before each use to guaranteequality and freshness. This leads each andevery creation to be a culmination of har-mony between good taste, freshness andknow-how. For a taste of perfection, waitno more and order your happiness box onthe Druart website.

www.chocolat.be

While it is one thing to make good chocolate, it is quite another to master the art of bringing together an explosion of taste and texture. Meet the Chocolaterie Druart.

TEXT: BETTINA GUIrKINGEr | PHOTOS: CHOCOLATErIE DrUArT

A new generation of chocolate

Official Partner and reseller of Druart Chocolate:

Le Saint-GermainGrand-Place 127000 Mons, Belgium+32 65 33 66 37

Druart Chocolaterie SA

rue de Boughors 137387 Angreau, Belgium+32 65 75 95 21


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 31


The WCC-BF – the World Craft Council’sbranch for francophone Belgium – hasbeen around for 30 years, but 2015 looksset to be its most exciting ever. “It’s clearlya significant period for the organisation,”says director, Anne Leclercq: “And we be-lieve our flagship exhibition this spring,Madame est Servie, makes a great state-ment about who we are and what we do.”

That statement derives from the nature ofthe exhibition, concerned with art anddesign as, in this case, it relates to thedining table, and the way it reaches outinto the city. “Within our own buildingwe’ll exhibit functional items like crockery,cutlery and textiles, along with the non-functional such as photos and sculptureson the same theme,” she says. “But si-multaneously at restaurants including

L'Impératif, La Table des Matières, LesGribaumonts, and D'Eugénie à Emilie, atable which people can reserve and eat atwill be set with pieces by artists and de-signers from Belgium.” Belgian compa-nies Eternum (cutlery) and Serax (crockery) sponsor the event.

It could be said the organisation’s home forthe last six years – part of the former mu-nicipal abattoir – demonstrates similar un-conventional thinking, though Leclercq dis-agrees: “re-purposing old industrialstructures makes sense. We’ve ended upwith great spaces for displaying art and de-sign – the superbly restored main galleryarea has a uniquely serene atmosphere –as well as for practical tasks like trainingworkshops, and legal consultations onmatters like copyright and contracts.”

This year WCC-BF’s outreach will extendwell beyond Mons. From October until thefollowing January it is arranging exhibitionsof works competing for the European Prizefor Applied Arts it’s hosting. And this Mayan impressive contingent of its artists –among them Nevin Arig, Nathalie Doyen,Claire Lavendhomme, Antonino Spoto,Nelly Van Oost and Fabienne Withofs – willshow work at the international salon Collect 2015, held at the prestigiousSaatchi Gallery in London.

As Leclercq says: “Things here are alwaysbusy, we host four exhibitions every year,but 2015 is going to be very special – andhectic – indeed.”

www.wcc-bf.org

The gaze directed at Mons by the arts world throughout 2015 brings increased focus on the activities of one of the city’sgreat creative institutions. Its exhibitions and competitions during this European Capital of Culture year merit attention.

TEXT: MArTIN PILKINGTON

The year of living designedly

LEFT: Linde Hermans, Tilting, 2011. Photo: Kristof Vrancken.MIDDLE: roos Van De Velde, Pur Sang, for Serax. Photo: Studio Marc Wouters. RIGHT: Antonino Spoto, Brownand blue vessel, 2014. Photo: D. Bastin.


32 | Issue 15 | March 2015

“Urban development is never discon-nected,” Mathis Güller (partner andfounder) explains, “It is always at the serv-ice of the larger, surrounding territory. Weaim for any development to be inserted inthe most virtuous and sustainable waypossible through our planning process.”

True experts in their field, they are currentlyworking on several strategic masterplansand large-scale developments for urban ar-eas, including high profile railway station dis-tricts and airport areas throughout Europe.

Airport aficionadosGüller Güller were appointed as long-termproject architects for the development of

the Triangle de Gonesse, Paris in 2008. Inthe heart of the airport corridor of ParisCharles de Gaulle, the 1000-hectare site isthe largest remaining land reserve insideParis. Güller’s team proposed a very daringcompact strategy that will preserve 70 percent of the site for agricultural activity.

Güller explains, “We have a thorough un-derstanding of what impact airports haveon metropolitan areas and we ensuretransportation infrastructure is introducedin a more durable and sustainable way.”The project aims to capitalise on the po-tential economic dynamism of the area andachieve a greater quality of life by estab-lishing a variety of new public transporta-

tion models while maintaining the beauty ofthe existing landscape: a milestone in sus-tainable urbanism.

“It is a unique opportunity to address andovercome the complex challenges thatthese peri-urban areas can present,” hesuggests, “these regions are often veryfragmented with social inequalities andpoor mobility performance and now wehave the rare opportunity to impact uponthe development model of this city andtackle very current global issues.”

With over fifteen years devoted to develop-ing airport areas, Güller Güller is also work-ing on masterplans for Lyon and its airport

The internationally renowned urbanists and architects Güller Güller founded their visionary establishment in 1999 andnow operate out of offices in Rotterdam and Zurich. The philosophy of the company is simple; they focus on developing

solutions for local projects that serve to answer wider questions of urban planning and global changes in society.

TEXT: HELEN CULLEN | MAIN IMAGE: GüLLEr GüLLEr – rHDHV - rr&A – PVB / EPA PLAINE DE FrANCE / A2 STUDIO

An innovative approach to the sustainable city

Discover Benelux | Special Theme | The Market of Construction

SPECIAL THEME:

The market of construction


city, the new Dutch Lelystad airport, the ex-pansion of London Heathrow and a strate-gic vision for the Zurich Airport region.

The learning city: transforming spacesThe second distinctive expertise of theGüller team is dealing exceptionally wellwith the challenge of transforming existingcity spaces. Their approach has fosteredan intriguing notion of ‘the learning city’,an idea perfectly encapsulated throughtheir development project for the Groues,a 70-hectare urban area adjacent to LaDéfense in Paris. The public developmentagency asked Güller how to make the citythat surrounds this business hub perform

better and create a more competitive andlivable whole.

“A sustainable urban environment requiresthe capacity to experiment and create ur-ban laboratories for innovative project ap-proaches,” he explains. “We need test lo-cations such as the Groues that allow forprototype projects to be built on new waysof collaborating. This is where our ‘learn-ing city’ idea is fostered; each step in-spires the next project such that the over-all design of a new district is built upgradually over time.”

The firm manages the many different,complex factors of the project and mon-itors the time-line. “We cannot continueto build cities as concrete models be-cause blueprint development is impossi-ble in today’s European context,” Güllerexplains. “The key is to install a strategythat allows us to transform these existingcomplexes over time. This has to be builtaround a simple idea allowing all stake-holders to converge and manage thetransformation strategy.”

The importance of place-makingGüller considers projects such as the Göte-borg Bridge, Fribourg’s Cardinal Breweryand the Groues to be deep reflections onthe challenge of making traffic flow and ur-ban life co-exist in harmony. “We aim tocreate places of quality inside the city out ofareas which are often considered as ‘non-places’ such as airports, bridges or railwaystations,” he explains. “We consider whatplace they have in society so that they are

not just a bridge over a river or a place topark while you catch an airplane.”

Güller believes that these designs shouldbe seen as a tool to share a joint-vision forhow to create sustainable urban environ-ments of integrity and value.

A unique vision At the core of the team’s success is theiruniquely integrated approach. “We appre-ciate that to propose the most successfulmasterplan, we need to understand all theprocesses around us and each disciplinemust have an equal share in the designprocess,” Güller says.

“We use our design capacity not so muchto produce a fixed image but to create a de-sirable yet pragmatic vision in a very co-pro-ductive process with all the parties involvedso that we can build a city together. It’smore like conducting an orchestra, we’renot the ones to dictate,” he concludes.

www.ggau.net

Issue 15 | March 2015 | 33

Awards:

Named as BEM - Le Bulletin Européen

du Moniteur's specialist for airport ur-

ban planning in Europe: 2014

French Palmarès des jeunes Urbanistes

2010 Award

Airport regions Conference Honorary

Award 2009


The park area for Triangle de Gonesse masterplan at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.

The new station square at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse. Photo: Güller Güller / A2 Studio

Mixed-use development on the Groues site near La Défense, Paris.Photo: Güller Güller


34 | Issue 15 | March 2015

Counting 45 global destinations, GuidingArchitects is a network of independentcompanies, carrying out professionalguided architectural tours for groups ofany size and occupation: think overseas ar-chitects and political delegations, art as-sociations and rotary clubs.

Internationally acclaimed projects carriedout by prolific architects like rem Koolhaas,renzo Piano and Santiago Calatrava aredeveloping a renewed vigour for city breaks,with tourists taking to boulevards and build-ings to uncover foreign cultures. And whobetter to explain these urban landscapesthan resident architectural experts?

Covering Amsterdam, Rotterdam andmore: architourrunning tours for over a decade, the Am-sterdam-based architecture journalist An-neke Bokern has seen changes in the

Dutch capital that have bolstered the city’sonce disused harbour districts. With a no-table shift riverwards, she enthuses overNoord-Amsterdam’s newly-found creativeimpulses. “The EYE Film Institute is defi-nitely one of the most beautiful new build-ings. But projects on an urban scale, likethe artificial archipelago IJburg and theIJdock peninsula, are equally exciting.”Alongside Amsterdam’s historical quar-

ters, Bokern appreciates the city’s unionof past and present: “Presenting thismodern side of Amsterdam is part of ourmission too.”

Just thirty minutes from Amsterdam liesthe more “modern and functional” rotter-dam, a city Bokern declares a tourfavourite despite its less romantic nature.She explains: “The architectural cacophony

From waterways to museums, and from warehouses to the world’s first 3D-printed canal house, cities and theirarchitectural identities are arousing more and more interest. Rather than walking blindly through foreign streets, the

international network of Guiding Architects aims to reveal the urban landscape through their professional tours, using various themes to explore how the world’s major cities take form.

TEXT: EMMIE COLLINGE

Discovering a city’s culture through its architectureE X P E r I E N C E O F T H E M O N T H

LEFT: Architecture tours by Guiding Architects. MIDDLE: Central Station, rotterdam. RIGHT: Contemporary canal houses on Java Eiland in Amsterdam.

BELOW LEFT: Tours with ArchiPedes give a very close look to architectural details: the filtered walls in Zumthor’sKolumba museum. RIGHT: From Cologne’s old town it is a very short distance to the new harbour district withTeherani’s crane houses. Photos: Barbara Schlei


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 35

of rotterdam and the spectacular, experi-mental new buildings are awe-inspiring.”

The authority on Belgium: ar[chi]pentageBrussels, begins Andrea Mantello from Bel-gium’s specialist architectural tour com-pany ar[chi]pentage, might seem to haveslightly jumbled architecture, but, he saysassuredly, “this variety is also the clearestexpression of the multitude of culturalgroups, subcultures and economic forcesthat have shaped and are still forging thecity. As the capital of both Europe and Bel-gium – two very dynamic entities – it couldhardly be any different.”

Based in Brussels, ar[chi]pentage have theluxury of offering tours throughout thetightly-packed country. By location ortheme (for example, Modern Brussels, Gar-den Cities and Architecture & Beer), Man-tello’s company imparts their expertise andanecdotes during their tailor-made tours.As Mantello so succinctly puts it: “It is onlyby means of unconventional thematic en-try points that visitors can truly understandwhy, for example, Brussels no longer has ariver running through it.”

The city’s specialists: koelnarchitektur.deDescribed by Ira Scheibe from ArchiPedesas an “inspiringly inconsistent city”, thetours in Cologne, a cosmopolitan metro -polis, expound on the juxtaposition of thecity’s 2,000 year existence and its remark-ably young architecture.

Scheibe talks enthusiastically about the city’scurrent crop of urbanistic interventions: “Thequest for craftsmanship has always beencharacteristic of the city, and maybeZumthor’s distinctive architecture gave the fi-nal impulse for its reactivation. They aremuch more than just buildings, and he cap-tures the very essence of them. This hasraised the bar for future projects, such as theJewish Museum by Wandel Hoefer Lorch,the art museum’s extension by Christ & Gan-tenbein, and the competition for the renewalof the Cathedral’s square.”

“Old and new are not the only opposites tobe brought together: trying to ‘bridge’ the

gap between the banks of the rhine is anenormous task. The citizens, however, arerediscovering the waterfronts,” she says.

GA Paris bids you bienvenue Led by architect Catherine Haas, GA Parisopts for an exciting blend of architecturaland art and design tours, merging the city’slatest ventures with its rich heritage. Hav-ing spent six years as curator at the Pavil-lon de l’Arsenal, few can match Haas’s ex-pertise when it comes to this denselypopulated urban sprawl. “More than just abeautiful city full of museums and Haus-mannian architecture,” she says, “it’s a liv-ing and dynamic city with a creative con-temporary architecture scene.” GA Parisoffers tours of the city centre’s contempo-rary architecture, the east’s urban plan-ning, the high rises of La Défense, and LeCorbusier’s impact as the historical mod-ernist architect.

The French capital, she continues, is a fas-cinating case study for the collision of tra-dition and modernity. “It’s much more thanjust seeing buildings,” she interjects, beforeoffering her perspective on the current po-litical debate about the renovations of theSamaritaine building into a luxury hotel.

Culture-filled constructionsSharing a deeper understanding of their citiesby lifting the veil on their buildings, Guiding Ar-chitects clearly have an aptitude for tourguiding, balancing expertise with stories, andfascinating features with insider knowledge.As Mantello concludes: “The stories aboutdesign become central for comprehendingthe city.” Despite their grime and grumbles,cities provide in-depth access to the cultureexuded by their inhabitants, and what ismore interesting than that?

www.guiding-architects.net

Alongside architectural tours, GuidingArchitects can organise your entire trip,accommodation, dining and transport.

www.architour.nlwww.archipentage.bewww.archipedes-koeln.de www.ga-paris.fr

Discover Benelux | Experience of the Month | Guiding Architects

LEFT: Theatre square – Antwerp, Belgium. Architect: Studio Associato Secchi & Viganò. Photo: ar[chi]pentage.RIGHT: Place Flagey – Brussels, Belgium. Architects: D+A international, Latz + Partner. Photo: Camilla Borghese.

BELOW LEFT: The Pavillon de l’Arsenal, the architecture and urban planning centre of Paris. Photo: Vincent Fillon.RIGHT: redevelopment of former train track and warehouse area Paris rive Gauche in the East. Photo: GA-PArIS


36 | Issue 15 | March 2015

Designing cities and buildings with the enduser as starting point will help to createfriendly and well-functioning living environ-ments. An intuitive design that encompassesevery need and anticipates future needs willbe of lasting benefit and thereby become apart of a sustainable landscape – the trueadded value architecture can give to society.

“In essence: architecture is happiness. Thisis also our motto,” explains architect JoostEctor. He is adamant that good architec-ture can greatly increase people’s quality oflife – whether consciously or not. “The rightatmosphere of an environment can trulybring out the best in people.”

Once, on a business trip to Florida, theUnited States, Ector witnessed the designapproach used to create one of the ‘NewTowns’. “Urban designers and architectsmet with the future residents and tried toactively engage in a dialogue to design theperfect village together. They held work-shops, built models and drew schemes si-multaneously. It was quite intense, but alsolots of fun,” he remembers. “Then I re-alised, this is how it should always be! Whydon’t we do this in our projects?”

Ector, partner at Ector Hoogstad Archi-tecten, has implemented this method eversince. “We begin with mapping needs and

expectations, so the first stage of the de-sign process requires active participationfrom all stakeholders. In return we add ourcreativity, expertise and experience. We tryto be as approachable as possible, avoidjargon and think in opportunities and pos-sibilities rather than problems and solu-tions. This allows us to really understandwhat the client wants,” he explains.“Sometimes we’ll even move in with themor set up camp at the future building sitefor several weeks, to immerse ourselves ina culture or a context.”

The key in this process, as Ector states, is tobe inquisitive and not jump to conclusions.

Architects easily get carried away with aesthetics. Spectacular structures and gravity-defying designs rapidly spring up everywhere. With new materials and better techniques, the possibilities seem endless. However, the real virtue of

architecture lies not in form, but in function and atmosphere, placing people at the heart of the design process, as Joost Ector argues.

TEXT: MYrIAM GWYNNED DIJCK | PHOTOS: PETrA APPELHOF

Architecture is happinessGebr. de Nobel – The new pop music venue in Leiden was built inside and around several 18th and 19th century monumental structures, giving it a fresh yet historic look.


“Through drafting multiple scenarios we un-cover the best basic solution,” he adds.“This way of working is very effective: in lit-tle time we gather a massive amount of in-formation and get to the core of the project.It also creates a friendly, collaborative at-mosphere and enormous goodwill.”

One of the projects he points out is the re-development of the station concourse inUtrecht – the country’s busiest publictransport hub. It includes the creation ofworld’s largest underground bicycle park-ing, with space for 12,500 bikes. “Thisproject perfectly showcases our qualities.We had to design an environment that issocially safe, highly usable and of courseenjoyable. Optimal logistics, providing adirect connection between every singleparking space and the train platforms,were vital, as was creating a high qualitypublic plaza,” Ector says.

As it affected many different stakeholders –from local government to business owners– Ector and his team invited each party andcarefully listened to their interests. “For usthis is standard practice, so we were able toprocess and implement many more indi-vidual requirements than anyone had ex-pected at the outset. Also, we never com-promise: we don’t stop designing until wehave an option that works well for everyone.And that’s what we achieved here too.”

Dealing with complexity was also the mainchallenge for the renovation of an 18thcentury city block in Leiden. The quarterwas to be turned into a pop music hallwhile keeping much of the original structureintact. “It was a spatial puzzle. Technicallyit was very challenging because of acousticrequirements. We aimed to create a strik-ing interaction between old and new,” Ec-tor says.

The project emphasises how sustainabilitycan express itself in many ways, and notjust by adding solar panels to a roof.“Meaningful reuse presents its own kind ofsustainability, saving what is there. We al-ways keep this in mind: while we designour buildings to last an eternity, they shouldallow adaptations with minimal wastage,”he adds.

Another project Ector remembers fondlywas the redevelopment of the MetaForum,a university building in Eindhoven. The orig-inal monumental 1950s workshop had tobe enlarged and transformed into a 21stcentury building, with learning environ-ments, restaurants and a library. Ector, whograduated here himself, says: “Thanks tomodern communication, you hardly haveto leave your house, the need to meet peo-ple face-to-face is diminishing. This projectwas designed to counter that and seduce

students to come here to actively partici-pate, connect and exchange ideas.”

Located centrally, the 7-metre high glassstructure is at a crossroads for the cam-pus. “I like to think of it as the university’sliving room, bringing people together andinspiring them to collaborate.” He con-cludes: “To develop big new ideas you’vesimply got to work together.”

www.ectorhoogstad.com/en

Issue 15 | March 2015 | 37


LEFT: Faculty of Applied Sciences TU Delft – This world-class physics research centre required extreme levels ofsoundproofing, vibration reduction, temperature stability and exclusion of dust and magnetic field. RIGHT: Theunique working philosophy of Ector Hoogstad Architecten led almost 40 stakeholders to support the station con-course annex bicycle park in Utrecht that will optimally serve thousands of travellers each day.

ABOVE RIGHT: IMd offices, rotterdam – Consisting of several pavilions inside a former steel factory, this was asimple, inexpensive yet effective way of reusing old buildings. It is a “playground for engineers” as Joost Ector describes it.


Architecture is emotion“Not every building is architecture,” Pero Puljiz starts passionately: “Through architecture a building can get meaning

and a cultural value. Only when a structure becomes part of the collective memory, that’s when it becomes architecture.Architecture is the emotion.”

TEXT: MYrIAM GWYNNED DIJCK | PHOTOS: CIE.



Issue 15 | March 2015 | 39


Puljiz is one of the partners at the Dutch ar-chitecture firm Cie. He enthusiastically re-counts some of their most successful andcharacteristic projects. “We have manyvery experienced architects and we canwork very efficiently. Each will add theirown touches to a project, guaranteeing in-dividual creativity. These qualities com-bined lead to unique results,” he says.

Cie. has a very wide ranging portfolio thatcovers all types of structures both in theNetherlands and abroad, particularly inCroatia and China. Thanks to the com-pany’s expertise, they have also won vari-ous international competitions.

One with the landscapeOne of these was the Hotel Sungarden inDubrovnik on the Mediterranean coast inCroatia. Located at a UNESCO world her-itage site, there were many limitations tothe construction: it could not be too high tokeep the view of the coastline intact, buteach of the rooms in the high-end hotelhad to have a sea view.

Puljiz says: “The building is split into twoparts with the entrance in the middle. Thereis a top part of three floors with a wonder-ful roof terrace and there is the lower partwhich leans towards the sea. The latter isalmost invisible when you enter – thismakes the hotel look much smaller than itis and will give guests a more individual ex-perience.”

An arcade for the publicAnother international project was theDadong Arts Center in Taiwan. Comprisingthree different elements – a theatre, exhi-

bition hall and a library – Cie. took the de-sign to the next level by creating a uniquespace in between the structures. “We al-ways look for added value and finding hid-den opportunities. Here we transformedthe area around the buildings into a com-fortable public space,” Puljiz comments.

Before finishing the design, Puljiz and ateam of Cie. architects went to the locationin Kaoshiung. They didn’t just experiencethe high temperatures and humidity, butalso found there was very little public spacein the city.

“The half-open arcade features a mem-brane roof with funnel-shaped openings. Itcreates shade in the often scorching sunand provides shelter during the monsoonrains. The round openings also work as cli-matic devises, circulating fresh air,” he de-scribes. “It’s actually the most visited spacein the region. A lot of people gather here,even without visiting the arts centre itself,which is a great feature.”

Brickwork symphoniesCloser to home, in Amsterdam, Cie. de-signed two tower blocks collectively calledthe Amsterdam Symphony – one for officeuse and one for residential occupation. Lo-cated at the edge of the metropolitan busi-ness district the Zuidas, the two structuresform an architectural bridge between theadjacent modern office blocks and nearby19th century brickwork buildings in thecharacteristic Amsterdam School.

Puljiz explains: “It is the only building in theZuidas that is built with bricks. The façadehas intricate details, interpreting the use of

brickwork in a modern way. Apart from thebottom two floors which were hand-built,the structures are entirely constructed frompre-fabricated compartments but our de-sign beautifully covers up the joints.”

Industrial heritage on displayShowcasing the breadth of Cie’s portfolio– which covers interior design projects allthe way to city masterplans – is the CaféOpen project in Amsterdam. The cafe wasbuilt on the foundations of a former swing-ing bridge, elevating it several metresabove the water.

“We wanted to retain the industrial char-acter of the site and expose the old struc-ture underneath. We kept the restaurant assimple as possible – it is basically just aglass box with windows as walls that canopen on all sides,” he says.

A special element of the design is the waythese window panels open – they pivot upin a cascading motion. Puljiz adds: “It mim-ics the industrial movement of the bridge.In the summer they can be opened upcompletely, turning the restaurant into abeautiful terrace.”

en.cie.nl

Cie. focused on creating an attractive public space in between the three buildings of the Dadong Arts Center offering a place for people to gather.


40 | Issue 15 | March 2015


Architect Tom Sheehan is clearly proud ofthe tower, which was officially inauguratedearlier this year. Still awaiting a colloquialname to arise among Parisians, he muses:“I hope people will call it firefly or ‘luciole’.Now that the lights have come on, glowingat the top, it really brightens up the sky.”

Back in 2007, SOGECAP, together withproperty developers Bouygues Immobilierand SOGEPrOM had a small plot avail-able, code-named ‘D2’. They tasked An-thony Béchu and Tom Sheehan to createa magnificent business complex to ac-commodate over 4,000 people.

“Because the base was so small, we hadto be creative to get the required capacity.We came up with an exoskeleton: throughthe diamond structure of the beams, theweight of the tower is distributed evenly,making it very strong and wind resistant,”Sheehan explains. “We also used an inno-

vative lift system, where two pods movefreely in one shaft, reducing lift space sig-nificantly. An automated system indicateswhich lift to take to get you to your desti-nation the fastest.”

The 171-metre high tower, owned by SO-GECAP, also features a luxuriant sky gar-den on the roof, reserved for the futureoccupier. He comments: “I couldn’t imag-ine designing a tower without destination.We were able to move the componentselsewhere that are normally at the top of atower, and created this beautiful roof gar-den. This makes it truly iconic.”

Another unique feature is its ground floorarcade, which is open to the public. “Thetower stands on a transition point so wemade the ground floor very transparentinviting people to walk through it, giving itfurther use and value for people,” he addsSheehan, who is originally from San Fran-

cisco, has been living and working in Parisas an architect since 1989. He puts astrong emphasis on the ‘human approach’when designing buildings. He concludes:“Even if a building is beautiful to look at, itloses its value if it isn’t used. With the D2Tower, we always had the user in mind tocreate the most comfortable workspacepossible.”

www.atsp.euwww.tomsheehan-blog.com

Redefining Paris’s skylineIt is not the tallest, nor the most visible building in Paris, but the newly erected ‘D2 Tower’ in La Défense is certainly oneof the most stunning. Its diamond structure exoskeleton, the heavenly rooftop garden and its enchanting light effects at

night give it a unique and captivating appearance.

TEXT: MYrIAM GWYNNED DIJCK | PHOTOS: MATHIEU DUCrOS / OPICTUrES, COUrTESY OF TOM SHEEHAN AND MAJOrELLE (INTErIOrS)


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42 | Issue 15 | March 2015

For Delouvrier, the architect is at the heartof a complex process of design and con-ception from the very first sketches to theend result. "People tend to overlook thefact that the architect is just one of themany actors and decision-makers involvedin the building process, no matter the scaleof the project. Nevertheless, he plays acentral and decisive role, quite like a com-poser and conductor in an orchestra. He isthe end responsible for the harmony of thewhole." He emphasises that only when thisharmony is achieved can a structure becalled architecture. Hence the mission andambition of rDAA is to reach this on all theprojects it undertakes.

From one success to another The first element of success for the part-ners and their team is to put the client at

the heart of the creation process. The ideais to translate the initial sketches into real-ity: "We work extensively with models, per-spectives and the search for the mostadapted materials. Additionally, we givespecial attention to details, such as thesightlines and the acoustic comfort withinthe space." All these elements come to-gether through the process of co-creationthat is established between the architectand the client, with the idea in mind thatthey too own the project and participate inits unfolding.

regardless of the type of project,roschewski insists on the fact that thequality of the relationship with the client isa crucial factor in making or breaking thedevelopment of a concept. "There needsto be an affinity and common vision be-

tween us for the best possible outcome –and this is something we have learnedfrom years of experience."

From the inside outAnother key element of success is to getrid of superfluous elements and focus onthe core: "For us, a structure is built insideout and not outside in. The way we see itis that the external façade is the result of adialogue between the interior space andthe exterior context." It has therefore be-come a specialty of the agency to create asetting that is coherent, practical and har-monious.

Last but not least, the architect's role is tostand for the client's best interest, whichoften requires an important amount of flex-ibility but also firmness towards the other

Ever since its creation in 2009, R+D Architectes Associés (RDAA) has been broadening its range of work throughdifferent projects and typologies, building on the more than two decades of experience of its founders, Axel Delouvrier

and Cyril Roschewski. Enter a world of orchestrated complexity, practicality and harmony.

TEXT: BETTINA GUIrKINGEr | PHOTOS: rDAA

Design and harmony

Mairie Garenne-Colombes, France



Issue 15 | March 2015 | 43

parties involved in the building process.This is to make sure that that the end resultis as close as possible to what was envi-sioned in the first place.

These three key elements have proved towork over and over again, leading rDAA tobe awarded the Batiactu Prize in the fieldof renovation in 2013 and being among thefinalists of the prestigious Paris Shop De-sign Award of 2014. As for now, 2015promises to be a year full of new projectsand developments, to match the ambi-tions of the architectural firm.

InspirationFor as long as he can remember, Delou-vrier's life ambition was to become an ar-chitect. "As a child I didn't have posters offamous actors or singers in my bedroom ...but blueprints of Frank Lloyd Wright'sstructures and large pictures of his cre-ations! Years later during my studies in ar-chitecture I would rise to the challenge ofreproducing Fallingwater's model down tothe smallest details." It is also around that

time that Delouvrier and roschewski met,as two young and ambitions university stu-dents. "It soon became obvious that wewould end up working together, and theopportunity presented itself about fiveyears ago. Our agency is quite recent butwe've been close collaborators for morethan twenty years."

Personally inspired by architecture giantssuch as his childhood hero Frank LloydWright, as well as Louis Kahn, Alvar Aaltoor Mies van der rohe, Delouvrier also be-lieves that inspiration can come from con-temporary entrepreneurs and visionaries: "Ithink of Steve Jobs, a legend in himself,

Elon Musk with Tesla and Space X or LucaBassani who made the Wally boats cometo life. They were able to create a newworld with their imagination, a new outlook.Their creativity and energy are very moti-vating to us.”

Eager to expand their portfolio in the sec-tor of privately owned houses and hotels,rDAA is always looking for new clients tochallenge them and co-create innovativestructures. And why not, maybe one day,work directly with the ones that inspirethem so much.

www.rdaa.fr

Axel Delouvrier

Cyril roschewski

Tishman Speyer, in collaboration with SCO, 2009



44 | Issue 15 | March 2015


Merk X is a small and compact design stu-dio, working within (interior) architecture,textiles and furniture. The owner is EvelyneMerkx, who started her first design studioin 1985: studio Merkx. From 1996 sheworked with her partner Patrice Girod un-der the name of Merkx+Girod architecten.When Girod retired in 2012, Merkx’s studiowas back, this time with a dash.

During the last thirty years, Merkx hasworked in big companies as well, but isnow happy to be working for herself again.This does not stand in her way of being in-volved in major projects. She says: “Whenworking on a big project, I collaborate with

other architects. For every project I form ateam. Sometimes I need to work with justone extra person, sometimes more.”

Throughout the years, Merkx gained quitesome experience in rebuilding and refur-nishing existing structures and interiors in-cluding for small offices, private homes,museums and public spaces. recent pro -jects are the renovation of the passagesand hallways at Amsterdam Central Sta-tion. As partner of Benthem & Crouwel Ar-chitects, Merkx is also responsible for theexpansion and renovation of the GrooteMuseum in Artis Zoo in Amsterdam. Fur-thermore, she redeveloped the office

spaces for the newly founded law firm rut-gers & Posch in a monumental building onthe Herengracht in Amsterdam.

Groote Museum in ArtisThe Groote Museum is located on theupper two floors of the oldest buildingon Artis Zoo’s territory. Built around 1850,the building has experienced many re-constructions and reallocations. TheGroote Museum closed in 1947, but itscollection as well as the museum spacesstayed surprisingly intact. “The buildingconsists of a ground floor that will be re-furbished completely,” explains Merkx. Onthe first floor and in the open gallery are

TEXT: JANINE STErENBOrG | PHOTOS: WIJNANDA DErOO & rOOS ALDErSHOFF

Modernising the Netherlands’ rich historyRedesigning beautiful old buildings with a nod to the past and a modern twist at the same time. That is one of the

specialities of design studio Merk X. Completely new designs are also in good hands with owner Evelyne Merkx, though.


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 45

beautiful old wooden showcase cabinetswith original wafer-thin glass. All this time,the spaces stayed unchanged since 1947.Merk X designed the expansion and reno-vation of the museum (a collaboration witharchitects Patrice Girod and Jan WillemWijker).

“We added technical modern facilities likeelectricity and climate control, withoutharming the monumental values. We willrestore the beautiful original staircase intoits former glory as well,” says Merkx. “And

underneath the building, the reception,wardrobes, toilets and cash desks will beclustered into a new basement floor.”

Amsterdam Central Station In 1997, Amsterdam started renovating itsCentral Station. This mega project is due in2022. Benthem & Crouwel Architects haveresponsibility for the whole project and stu-dio Merk X is, in cooperation with J. W.Wijker, part of the team. “We contribute tothe improvements by designing two pas-sages for pedestrians as well as restoring

the new Cuypershal. The passages (a col-laboration with Powerhouse Company),connect the town side of the Central Sta-tion to the IJ-side, where ferries to the Am-sterdam North area depart.”

The Cuypershal is the main hall of Amster-dam Central Station and will be partiallyrenovated and restored to its original state,as designed by the station’s original archi-tect Cuypers around 1880. This includeslarge new chandeliers and an air bridge tounlock the first floor from the hall. The for-mer staff rooms of the Dutch railways willbe added to the travellers’ domain to im-prove the distribution of the heavily in-creased pedestrian flow inside the building.

Rutgers & PoschAnother monumental building is the one inwhich law firm rutgers & Posch now holdoffice. The building was left behind in adeplorable state by its previous owners.With the available means, Merk X re-designed five meeting and receptionspaces. “With a nod to the past, we reno-vated five spaces each in their own way.With separate colour schemes and vin-tage furniture we modernised the rooms.”

rutgers & Posch decided they wantedto work with Merk X after seeing thework Merkx did for the Dutch Council ofState in The Hague, a huge Merkx+Girodrenovation project which took elevenyears to complete. “We transformedmany different buildings, from the sev-enteenth to the twenty-first century, inone coherent cluster, where all lawyersand visitors now feel welcome and com-fortable,” she says.

Merkx’s work is more diverse than just re-designing monumental buildings. She alsodesigns private homes, interiors for publicbuildings and special commissions: for ex-ample, the chandelier in the entrance hallof the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

Be swift though if you want to work withMerk X: “When I have a full schedule, I willturn down a project. This guarantees thatthe project team stays alert and dynamic!”

www.merk-x.nl

redesigning monuments is Merk X‘s field of expertise.



46 | Issue 15 | March 2015

He is one of those people who gets oth-ers all excited about a project when theyhear him talk about it. With great passionhe talks about the time when he decidednot to work for companies but decided tostart a business for himself. At the time heused drawing boards instead of comput-ers to design his projects. It was also thenwhen he moved into the monumentalbuilding at the Prinsengracht.

“At that time the Prinsengracht wasn't aspopular as it is now, but it always has beena place where designers or artists wouldwant to set up,” explains Kodde. He movedin and it's been his second home eversince. He started alone and worked onsome small jobs before he teamed up with

his business associate Jorrit Mulder. Afterthat his team gradually grew into the teamit is now. The jobs became bigger as well.

DifferenceBut Amsterdam, being the capital of theNetherlands, is the hometown of manycreatives and thus Kodde and his officehad to stand out in some way. But if weask him if he ever worries about a future forhis office, he says: “No. What makes us dif-ferent is that we take every assignmentseriously, not just the big companies butalso private home owners.”

Kodde knows Amsterdam like the back ofhis hand and says that there has been ashift in people’s expectations. “Some

years ago the people who had the moneyto afford it, didn't want to live in old build-ings and they certainly didn't want to re-model that. Those people left the city. Inthat time a lot new buildings were built.Amsterdam was very much in motion.Look at photos of the city, a lot of it was amess. But that's really come around.”

MagnetThe last few years the Dutch capital hasbeen a magnet for people from all over theworld to come work, and even live there.But also young people who come to studyand decide they don't want to leave.Kodde works a lot with these people.“More people want to live in a big city, it'sthe opposite of what it used to be. But

TEXT: CATHY VAN KLAVErEN | PHOTOS: KODDE ArCHITECTEN

It has been 18 years and counting for architect Hans Kodde. He is still out and about designing and building forindividuals who decide to make a home their home. His office in the centre of Amsterdam, the Prinsengracht, is doingwell thanks to loyal clients and a bit of luck. Kodde, who is currently with six other people, is not about to quit now.


It’s not just luck, it’s working hard


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 47

increasingly, they want to make a historic,existing building, their own home.”

Emotionally involvedAnd it's this job that Kodde and his teamfind most exciting. “Most clients whobought a house or a plot hope to have adesign ready in a matter of weeks. In real-ity most of our assignments take a yearbefore people can start moving. But that'sa rough estimate. Some projects takelonger or even shorter, but it goes to showhow much work it takes.”

He continues: “Especially with privatehome owners. Every doorknob, every lightswitch is important. It makes working to-gether with clients, especially the homeowners, very close. It's our job to educate

them about decisions that have to bemade. Professional clients mostly alreadyhave a global idea about what their officemust look like and let us do the rest. Thenwe can have a free hand in much of it.With private home owners it's different.They often are very much emotionally in-volved, which is obvious.”

Kodde adds: “That's why I think it's goodfor an architectural office if every step inthat process is carefully considered. Ifworking together is pleasant, acknowledgeit. If clients are a bit worried about the re-sult, try to make them at ease.”

LuckyKodde is aware that most clients makethe decision to remodel or build their house

only once in their life. Good service is there-fore a key for his success. “We try to makeideas come to life. It's not always a smoothroad but every time we complete an as-signment, it's always amazing to see thelook on the face of my clients.”

He continues to work with a down-to-earthattitude, maybe another one of his suc-cessful traits. “Sometimes I tell my col-leagues that we are very lucky. But it's notjust luck. We all like what we do. And to behonest: we work very hard.”

Take a look at the easily accessible websiteof the team of architects from Kodde Architecten.

www.koddearchitecten.nl



48 | Issue 15 | March 2015

“Its context is the most important aspect of abuilding,” says Maas Architecten founderWim Maas. “This goes for any building,whether it is a villa, an office or a school build-ing. The context is a combination of sur-roundings and usage, like the view, the loca-tion of the sun, the habits of the users, theirprivacy and the transition between interiorand exterior.” Also, all Maas Architenten’s de-signs are developed with a focus on durabil-ity and respect for human beings and nature.

UsageThe starting point before making a design,is how clients experience a day at theirbuilding. At a villa, for example. Maas:“When the weather is good, our clientmight enjoy breakfast outside. When it’stoo cold, it’s nice to have a spot insidewith a beautiful view.” The whole floor planand spacing of the building is based onseemingly small details like this. “We speak

to our clients about their days at home, tocombine usage and surroundings into theultimate living solution.”

SurroundingsThe buildings Maas Architecten designsare always in harmony with their environ-ments. “This can mean that the building istotally in contrast with the surroundings, orthat it fits in completely,” explains Maas,“it’s the location of the building that deter-mines most of its shape. Designing a build-ing situated in a suburban area is very dif-ferent from designing one in the woods.For instance, walls can be perfect for pri-

vacy, while on another location they’ll blocka beautiful view.”

The result?Maas Architecten strives to create the mostideal solution for their clients. Besides tak-ing into account what the building will beused for and what the surroundings looklike, the most important aspect Maas takesinto account before beginning to design isthe wish of his client.

Maas: “If our client wants a modern andsleek building, that is what we will design,but our way of working stays the same: wealways work in consideration of the con-text. We also support our clients in the se-lection of the contractor and during projectmanagement, to ensure that the desiredproduct is delivered.”

www.maasarchitecten.nl

A building in which context, experience and architecture are combined into a place that can be enjoyed to the fullest.That is the vision of the Netherlands based architect firm Maas Architecten.

TEXT: JANINE STErENBOrG | PHOTOS: MAAS ArCHITECTEN

Contextual villas



Issue 15 | March 2015 | 49

Hout Info Bois, a technical centre for infor-mation on wood, has led a biennial surveyamongst builders of individual timber framehouses and presents someof the major trends in thepast two years.

In Belgium, the individualtimber frame constructionrepresents some 8 per centof the total amount of con-structions. Until 2012, thewood construction could pride itself onbeing in constant growth, while the lastsurvey indicated a slight decline. On theother hand, renovations, extensions andwooden heightening are still on the in-crease, albeit with a slight weakening.

The most recent findings show that timberframes are by far the most frequently usedwood construction systems, covering 80

per cent of the total. It is followed by col-umn-beam structures and large woodstructures each representing just under 8

per cent. The glued CrossLaminated Timber (CLT)represents 2.5 per centand the nailed CLT lessthan 1 per cent.

The survey clearly indi-cates that wood construc-tion remains the activity of

small companies where construction is nottheir major activity. However, the trend alsoleans towards element prefabrication inworkshops, which, over time, is expectedto be accompanied by a sizeable increasein their business.

The slight decrease in the number of resi-dential constructions could be explainedby the consequences of the 2008 crisis.

Nevertheless, a growing awareness by thegeneral public of environmental protection,the increased cost of energy and the needto better insulate buildings could makewood more attractive as a building mate-rial. It is highly unlikely that a late conse-quence of the 2008 crisis would lead to adecrease in wood construction.

But wood construction is constantly devel-oping and recently gained new sectors. Manycompanies have expanded their activities byrealising larger buildings such as public build-ings, farms and industrial buildings. Further-more, the prefabrication of external walls tocoat buildings which have a concrete mainstructure is another trend on the up.

In short, the Belgian wood constructionhas a bright future.

www.houtinfobois.be

Over the last 20 years, wood construction in Belgium has developed significantly. Its roots are to be found in a dynamic and modern production chain which adapted itself to the world of wood construction.

TEXT & PHOTOS: HOUT INFO BOIS

The thriving world of wood



50 | Issue 15 | March 2015

The company is currently the only manu-facturer of reconstituted stones made en-tirely of mineral-based pumice or volcanicrock, to design, develop, produce andpackage its products in the Benelux area,France and Switzerland.

A new approachWith exceptional durability and authen-ticity, the reconstituted stones have awarranty of thirty years, which testifies totheir longevity and quality. The outstand-ing feature of this stone is its thickness,lying between three and seven centime-tres, which allows it to fit perfectly intoany architectural style of house, be itwood or metal, as well as more contem-porary or traditional houses.

Light and resistantThe extreme lightness of the Ideal PierreConcept stone allows its less than 40 ki-

los per square metre to be applied on anysurface, something which until now hasbeen nearly impossible to achieve withmore traditional stones. On top of this, itscomponents make it resistant to freezingand thawing, as well as being water andfire resistant – an ideal asset to resist alltypes of weather conditions. Theseunique features make the reconstitutedstones an attractive yet affordable solutionfor those looking for a more earthy look fortheir houses or offices.

AdaptabilityThe strength of Ideal Pierre Concept lies inits ability to be flexible and meet its clients’needs and wishes. What sets the com-pany apart is that it does not rely on stan-dardised prints but instead offers a selec-tion of more than 420 prints of differentstones to remain faithful to the real andnatural aspect of their product. On top of

this, the stone manufacturer gives partic-ular importance to blending into their sur-rounding environment by adopting thelooks, colours and textures of the localstones – aimed at staying true to regionalaesthetics and designs.

Ideal for façadesAlthough also suited for indoor decoration,over the last few years the Ideal PierreConcept product has gained increasingpopularity in the embellishment of façadesin the countries in which they operate. In-deed, the possibility to apply their stones toexterior thermal insulation has unlocked aworld of possibilities and opened the wayfor a more sustainable yet pleasing ap-proach to exterior design.

www.idealpierreconcept.eu

For over 15 years, Ideal Pierre Concept has specialised in the creation of special prints developed and made from naturallocal stones – a new way to bring together design and sustainability.

TEXT: BETTINA GUIrKINGEr | PHOTOS: IDEAL PIErrE CONCEPT

When a man-made stone becomes natural



www.resortmaastricht.com

Why:• SecondbestattractivecityofHolland• Maastrichthaseventsallyearround• ROIbetween5%-6%• Monthlyrentalincome• Propertyandlandwillbeprivatelyowned• Turnkeyandfurnisheddelivery• Possibilitytostayinyourownhome

Where:• Holland-cityofMaastricht• BesideInternationalGolfMaastricht• EasyaccesfromMaastricht-AachenAirport• Uniquelocationthatcombinesnatureandcityentertainment

ROI6%

Dormio recreatiewoningen bvT. 026-3537700

www.resortmaastricht.nl Informatiecentrum:

Dousbergweg 100 Maastricht

ResortMaastricht

Invest in a holiday home in Resort Maastricht and get a 6% return on your investment!

52 | Issue 15 | March 2015

Investing in (inter)national real estate is onthe rise due to low interest rates, reducedhouse prices and a recovering economy.While searching online for potential prop-erties is common, the market demands aplace for face-to-face meetings betweenbuyer and estate agent. Affordable flightsto second home destinations combinedwith personalised interaction at the SecondHome Exhibition make finding the rightproperty easier than ever.

Our visitors, ranging from entrepreneurs,managers, retirees and others interested inproperty investments, can be divided intofour groups. The first group buys a secondhome for personal use only, as a luxury andleisure product.

The second group buys their property 100per cent for investment purposes. Theirreturn on investment is based on a rentalfee, a potential profit when the property issold, or a combination of the two. Buyerswho rent their property can expect a returnof four to six per cent.

The third group is a mix: they use the prop-erty themselves and rent it out when theopportunity arises. This group is expandingrapidly and often rent to friends, family andother acquaintances.

The fourth, the emigration group, plans onliving abroad permanently. The main focusof this group is in residential areas and lessin locations with a high ‘holiday’ value.

Whether it’s an apartment in Austria, a villain the Cote D’Azur in France, a finca inSpain, a villa in Turkey, or a holiday homein the Benelux, the second home marketoffers a large variety of products to buyerswith various goals and budgets.

www.secondhome-expo.com

Realising your dreams of a second homeSecond Home International organises public exhibitions for recreational and international real estate investments in

Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Each year, over 25,000 potential buyers visit Second Home International andare welcomed by 150 exhibitors presenting properties from 25 different countries.

TEXT & PHOTOS: SECOND HOME INTErNATIONAL

Popular countries

Here are the top five popular countries

for second home investments.

Spain – especially new-build projects.

Turkey – very popular because of the

low cost of living and high quality of life

in a rather stable market.

France & Italy – both stable markets

with unique cultural aspects

Austria – offers both summer and winter

holiday destinations, has a stable eco -

nomy and is easily accessible by car.

Facts for second home owners

- You don’t have to be wealthy to invest

in property.

- Property investing has proved to be

one of the most trusted and safe ways

to create wealth – when it is done cor-

rectly.

- Most wealthy people accumulate their

fortunes through property.

- Property is a great investment be-

cause it gives you control.

- You could eventually create an income

from the rental return on your invest-

ment properties.

- In the third quarter of last year, 875

Spanish properties were sold to

Belgian and Dutch buyers.


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 53

Buying a house can be a daunting experi-ence at home, let alone when you areabroad, with foreign rules, complicated jar-gon and different processes. This was alsothe experience of robert Hubers: “When Iwas buying a house myself here in Austriain 2000 I didn’t really know what I wassigning.” Originally from the Netherlands,Hubers used this experience to set upAlpendreams.

Now he is helping others on a daily basisto purchase property in the Alps success-fully without stress. “We offer independentsupport and mediation to Dutch and Bel-gian buyers who want to move to Austriaor buy a second home,” he says. “Buyingproperty in Austria is not just fantastic touse as a holiday home, it is also a smartway of investing. You get a high return onyour assets with a great deal of certaintyand security.”

For Hubers there is no better place to livethan in his new home country. “It was mydream to live in the mountains: surroundedby the beautiful Alps, I feel more myself. Iam a nature person and I love outdoorsports and I find the quality of life here inAustria much higher than at home.”

Working together with housing agents, de-velopers, bankers, caretakers, rental or-ganisations, lawyers and tax specialiststhroughout the country, Alpendreams canadvise buyers on the pros and cons ofproperties and make them aware of com-plex local legislation. “In Austria each re-gion has different rules and not everyhouse can be bought or rented out,” Hu-bers says.

During the process Hubers will take buyersaround a dozen properties and help withnegotiations and administration. He adds:

“As soon as an offer is accepted, we canhelp to complete a purchase in as quickly asthree weeks. We also offer help with financ-ing, insurance, tax and accounting, furnish-ings and rental arrangements if needed.”

Hubers finally has a word of caution for fu-ture buyers: “remember you’re a guest ina foreign country. Be patient and cooper-ative with the Austrians and you will makethe most out of your (second) home!”

www.alpendreams.eu

The mountains, the tranquillity, the world’s biggest and most famous ski resorts, the glorious views and long winter and summerseasons – it is no wonder Austria attracts so many holidaymakers from the Benelux. For some, a mere visit is not enough, preferring

something a little more permanent. Alpendreams can help them make their dream to live in the Alps come true.

TEXT: MYrIAM GWYNNED DIJCK | PHOTOS: ALPENDrEAMS

Austria dreaming

Discover Benelux | Mini Theme | Second Homes


54 | Issue 15 | March 2015

Discover Benelux | Mini Theme | Second Homes

At the foot of the Zeeland dunes at theseaside resort of Dishoek, 67 luxury villasand 12 hotel apartments are being re-alised. The A-location, combined withsmall, intimate, thirties-style design and avillage-like character, displays the exclu-sivity of the Noordzee Résidence Dishoek,a project of Arcus Project and BPD. Therare location and good rental potential ofthe homes make it a desirable venture.

Noordzee Résidence Dishoek is the firstpark that is being developed according tothe new rental concept of Largo Villas.Largo is a subsidiary of Roompot Holidaysand distinguishes itself by the exceptionalquality and location of the holiday housesand it has an excellent rental service.Guests can make use of a babysitting serv-ice, butler service or a private chef.

Zeeland Valhalla As soon as the sale started there wasmuch interest in the villas and hotel apart-ments. A large part has been sold already,but there are still some luxury villas avail-able in the beautiful surroundings of the cityof Veere. Zeeland is very popular amongDutch, Belgian and German real estate in-vestors and also with tourists. The parksare an ideal starting point for a day trip tocities like Antwerp, Knokke, Bruges, Ghentand Sluis. The Zeeland coast also offersplenty of opportunities to relax. For theBurgundian vacationer this province is atrue mecca: there are many Michelinstarred restaurants.

Overwhelming interestAccording Arcus director Enrico Sextonthis is the moment to invest. "And people

know it. The interest in recreational prop-erty is overwhelming. Due to the low sav-ings rate, this form of investment provesan alternative fixed value to traditionalforms of investment and financial pro -ducts. Previously buyers needed 70 percent financing for the purchase. Nowa-days it is only 40 per cent.”

Arcus Project is currently working onseven projects along the Dutch coast. Be-sides Dishoek, there will be holiday resi-dences built in Breskens, Domburg, Oud-dorp, Renesse and Nieuwvliet-Bad. Thepark in Cadzand-Bad has already beencompleted; and there are still a few villasfor sale.

www.arcusresorts.nl

TEXT: BERTHE VAN DEN HURK | PHOTOS: ARCUS RESORTS

Your own villa with butler, private chef or childcare

A luxury recreation park at the footof the Zeeland dunes in Dishoek.


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 55

Discover Benelux | Business | Grandes écoles

The Conférence des Grandes écoles(CGE) comprises 218 higher education andresearch institutions, including 14 universi-ties abroad. Overall, they represent nearly40 per cent of the total graduate levelcourses in France. In partnership with busi-nesses, economic players and civil society,its main goal is to promote the develop-ment and influence of all forms of highereducation and research institutions, both inFrance and abroad, with a view towardsexcellence.

Over the past few years, the Frenchgrandes écoles have shown that they area true shield against the crisis. recentgraduates have an employability rate ofabove 80 per cent in the weeks followinggraduation and are able to find jobs in awide range of sectors.

The grandes écoles’ ability to adapt andevolve in a complex environment enablesthem to stand at the cutting edge of Frenchhigher education and to provide the French

economy, as well as the international busi-ness world, with newly qualified, highlyskilled graduates. In the course of theirstudies, students are trained for entrepre-neurship, gaining knowledge from intern-ships and partnership research activities –they are the creators of tomorrow’s start-ups. Nearly 80 per cent of the French start-up founders who participated in the Con-sumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas inJanuary had studied at a French grandeécole.

International recognition of the grandesécoles and their graduates has alwaysbeen a huge stake for the Conférence desGrandes écoles. Figures demonstrate thatan international experience is increasinglythe rule for its students. According to the2013 CGE mobility survey, 80 per cent ofthe graduates went abroad for studies orinternships.

French grandes écoles cultivate their ap-peal abroad too. In 2013, they counted

more than 48,000 international students of164 different nationalities, which representa 20 per cent increase over two years.Two thirds of international students study-ing in France succeed in getting their firstjob there. It shows that the grandes écolescreate favourable conditions which attractand retain young minds from all over theworld.

French management schools sit at the topof the international rankings in their fields,and many of the grandes écoles’ alumniare now working at leading multinationalfirms. We can be proud of this excellencereached by higher education in Francewhich contributes to French influence allover the world.

Yves Poilane is president of the interna-tional relations commission of the Con-férence des Grandes Écoles and directorof Télécom ParisTech.

French higher education covers – as in other countries – universities and independent schools. This diversity is a great strength; both forms of higher education start from the same educational foundation and they establish unity

between the students selected, and offer a highly demanding training closely bound to the people concerned and adapted to their professional future.

TEXT: YVES POILANE | PHOTOS: FOTOLIA / YVES POILANE

G r A N D E S é C O L E S

The great education insitutions of France


56 | Issue 15 | March 2015

Founded in 1952, following the need fortrained civil engineers during the region’spost-war reconstruction, the ISBA-TP isthe only state-recognised institute to offerpost-graduate civil engineering specialisa-tions in the whole of France today, with adiploma recognised by the CTI (Commis-sion des Titres d'Ingénieurs).

Over the course of fifteen months, its stu-dents from inside and outside the EU spe-cialise in either infrastructure or bridge-building, split into seven months ofmodules, two months of group projectsand six months of internships – all inFrench.

On top of this, the institute also offers‘tune-ups’ or ‘continued education’ ofvarying durations for professionals needingto update their theoretical knowledge in aspecific area related to civil engineering.These include for example the Eurocodes,

recently introduced European norms forstructural design across the EU.

All students will be taught and guided byprofessionals from the industry, who areguaranteed to provide real-life test casesand practices for a feel of the professionalworld. The ISBA-TP strives to train its stu-dents to be employed into their field ofspecialisation straight after graduation. Itputs everything into place to achieve thisby staying on top of technological devel-opments and societal needs. Up to 60 percent of students are employed followingtheir internship.

To qualify for admission, candidates musthave a bachelor’s and a master’s degree ina field relevant to civil engineering (or Bac+5 for those in the French educational sys-tem) and applications are open to bothnationals and students from abroad. A veryinternational institution, the ISBA-TP wel-

comes up to 50 per cent of foreign stu-dents every year. Their perfect location inthe lively and historic city of Marseille at-tracts applications from a wide range ofcountries and ensures a classroom filledwith diversity.

With an average class size of 20 to 40 stu-dents, the courses are tailored to meet thepersonal needs of each participant, ensur-ing a strong follow-up and feedback sys-tem when it comes to individual work, aswell as group projects.

The ISBA-TP application process for thisyear is now open and the institute looksforward to welcoming ambitious post-graduate students in civil engineering forthe next academic cycle.

www.isba.fr

With over 60 years of history, the Institut Supérieur du Bâtiment et des Travaux Publics (ISBA-TP), located in thebeautiful port-city of Marseille in southern France, has a long established reputation of offering the highest quality

post-graduate studies in civil engineering.

TEXT: BETTINA GUIrKINGEr | PHOTOS: ISBA-TP

Teaching excellence in civil engineering



EXECUTIVE MBA

AMBA ACCREDITED

FOR BUSINESS LEADERS

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A multi-dimensional program: to give you a 360° view of the company

www.icn-groupe.fr/emba

NEXT INTAKE: OCTOBER 2015CREATIVE THINKING MAKES THE DIFFERENCE*

*La créativité fait la différence


58 | Issue 15 | March 2015

When the first of ESMA’s three locations,Montpellier, opened in 1993 it met a needfor training in contemporary artistic crafts,a philosophy that’s seen courses like ani-mation and computer generated cine-matography added since then. Its em-ployability figures, and a host of awardsand accolades, show the founders got it right.

“When we started there was very little pro-vision for education in the applied arts fieldin France,” says pedagogical director Isabelle Teissedre: “There was a clear de-mand in areas like graphic and interior de-sign, and photography. That coincidedwith a lot of young people looking to gainexpertise in this type of work, and finding

it extremely hard to obtain a place. Therereally was a gap waiting to be filled.”

Following the success of the Montpelliersite a second was opened in Toulouse in2008, and a third in Nantes in September2013. “Some teachers give classes atmore than one site, and we have a healthyexchange of ideas between the three – wehave the same curricula and the same ac-ademic calendars, which makes coopera-tion relatively easy,” she says.

Contemporary design for contemporary designersAll the schools are housed in decidedlycontemporary buildings, with state-of-the-art facilities that make the transition from

education to real-world application easy,and on-campus accommodation is possi-ble at all three. With some 500 students atMontpellier, the same number at Toulouse,and around 300 in Nantes (where only thefirst two years’ intakes are in place) they arerelatively intimate, exclusive even, institu-tions.

Most students are French, but every intakecontains a sprinkling of international ar-rivals, from Belgium, Luxembourg, theUSA, China, North Africa... And the inter-national aspect works both ways, “Wehave former students, French and other-wise, currently employed in Britain,Switzerland, Spain, Germany, the USA andeven New Zealand,” says Isabelle.

Staff, students and alumni of France’s École Supérieur des Métiers Artistiques (ESMA) will be paying special attention to the 2015 Oscar Ceremony, as a short-film made by five of last year’s class actually features in the

programme. Not that cinematic success is anything new here...

TEXT: MArTIN PILKINGTON | PHOTOS: ESMA / MATHIEU DUCrOS

From the classroom to Hollywood



Issue 15 | March 2015 | 59

Constant evolutionWorking in frontier fields brings special de-mands: “The teaching and learning experi-ence is constantly under review as the ar-eas in which we work evolve technolo gicallyand culturally.

“Technology is progressing so rapidly thatit can sometimes happen that our studentsare more aware of changes than those es-tablished in the industries where they go towork. In that way they can bring real addedvalue to the workplace when they start,”states Isabelle. recent figures show thatsuch knowledge is appreciated by the mar-ket – for example, an extraordinary 95 percent plus of graduates from the cinema an-imation course were employed within ayear of graduation.

Special effects, special successThe low-tech days of special-effects geniusray Harryhausen are long gone, with thoseworking in that sector needing cutting-edge IT skills – along with genuine creativ-ity – to succeed. ESMA graduates are do-ing just that, never more clearlydemonstrated than with wins for alumni ofthe school at the VES (Visual Effects Soci-

ety) Awards in Los Angeles, the SFX equi -valent of the Oscars. “Alexandre Allain,from the class of 2008, working with col-leagues won one category in 2014; and wejust learned that Philippe Moine, who onlygraduated in 2013, won another on 4 February this year,” says Isabelle proudly.

Amazing though those achievements are,an appearance at the Oscars themselvestakes some beating, especially when theinvitation comes thanks to a student film.Five of the 2014 graduation class, MatéoBernard, Matthias Bruget, Jonathan Duret,Manon Marco and Quentin Puiraveau,made a charming and funny animatedshort film – Sweet Cocoon – as their finalyear project. They were delighted to win‘Best of School’ prize with it, then wentway beyond delight when they learnedsubsequently it would be part of the Os-cars Ceremony programme – and thatthey’ll be in LA to enjoy the occasion.

“They have been on the national news,they are going to the Oscars,” says Isabelle: “Everyone at the school could notbe happier, it is wonderful for them – andnot bad publicity for us!”

ESMA Graduates have worked on:(among many others)

– Arthur Christmas – Kung Fu Panda – Avatar– Gravity

ESMA Rankings

Number 7 animation school in the world (Animation Career review).

Since 2006 one of only three European schools granted Sony’s IPAX accreditation.



60 | Issue 15 | March 2015

In this context, GreenWin is a cluster sup-porting innovation and promoting the de-velopment of collaborative r&D projects,with an objective of growth for Walloon in-dustries and for job creation into leadingmarkets.

Devoted to more efficient environmentaltechnologies, GreenWin focuses on im-proving the life cycle of products by savinginput and energy, recycling waste and us-ing renewable resources. The priority is toreduce Wallonia’s carbon footprint of in-dustrial activities and of production.

GreenWin aims to tackle major technolog-ical challenges such as storage of energy,reduction of CO2 emissions, building withsustainable materials and processingwaste and effluents to recycle them asnew raw materials.

In a single network, it brings together 185members through nearly 140 companies,large and small, including several worldleaders, all local universities and researchcentres, training providers and organisa-tions that promote the green economy. All

members are driven by the opportunitiesoffered by pooling skills and resources.

GreenWin’s scope and strategy cover threemain topics:- Chemistry (biobased chemistry, use of

CO2, biotechnologies)- Sustainable materials in the building sec-

tor (energy storage, energy efficiency,production of materials and building sys-tems)

- Environment (waste and recycling man-agement, water and air treatment, soilremediation, sludge recovery)

In 2015, the coverage of the GreenWincluster has become impressive: its differentsectors employ a total of 47,000 jobs inWallonia and Brussels, with exports nearly30 per cent of the total economy. In termsof results, GreenWin has supported 25 in-dustrial projects (r&D and training) certifiedand funded by the Wallonia region for a to-tal budget of 70 million euros.On a daily basis, GreenWin provides itsmembers with strategic intelligence andthe development of a shared vision of thefuture; an organisation of contacts and

meetings; the identification of strategicskills to be developed; the deployment ofcollective training activities; support con-sultancy, methods and tools for the con-struction and management of innovative,collaborative projects; help seeking fundingfrom public and private bodies; the devel-opment of shared technological platformsto respond to common needs and an in-ternational visibility of skills and projects.

G r E E N W I N

A cluster of innovationCentrally located near Brussels and other main cities of Western Europe, such as London, Paris, Berlin and Rotterdam,

Wallonia evolved at the heart of Europe and its industrial economies. With a dense network of highways and an efficientnetwork of air, rail and waterways, Wallonia is in direct connection with all the decision-making centres in Europe, all

assets for the region’s economic development and competitiveness.

TEXT & PHOTOS: GrEENWIN

Join the cluster:

Alain Lesage, director general

[email protected]

rue Auguste Piccard 20

B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium


Polluted soil can be a negative legacyof our industrial past – and present.Siterem SA of Louvain-la-Neuve hasbeen at the forefront of solving suchproblems in Belgium for more than 20years.

“When we started in 1993 the legislativeframework wasn’t really there in our area,so we were pioneers,” says companyhead Vincent Vanderheyden: “Now thingsare much more established, as our vari-ous accreditations show – we’reISO2001-1998 certified, and recognisedas a category-2 soil management expertfor Wallonia, and as ‘soil pollution expert’for the Brussels-Capital region.”

The most famous elements of Belgium’sindustrial heritage – coal and steel – arenaturally significant to the company, with

major names like Duferco, and NLMK ontheir client list. But their work takes in lessobvious areas like former petrol stationsand accidental pollution sites.

Vincent and his associate StéphaneSchadeck run the company: “The teamcomprises 12 engineers – one of ourtrump cards is that customers have anengineer dedicated to their case, as con-tact and project manager, avoiding de-lays and misunderstandings.” Their ex-pertise ranges across site studies, liaisonwith clients about any legal ramifications,preparation of remediation plans, andeven supervision of remediation activities.He’s proud of the difference the companyhas made in its sector, and the expertiseit has built up and is happy to share withfellow professionals: “We work with vari-ous research bodies and universities in

developing clean-up techniques, and reg-ularly host doctoral students doing field-research – they learn from us, and hope-fully we from them,” he says.

www.siterem.be

Grounds for actionTEXT: MArTIN PILKINGTON | PHOTO: COUrTESY OF SITErEM

Discover Benelux | Business | Siterem

Your Partner in Anglo Dutch BusinessThe Netherlands British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) is the only bilateral non-profit

membership organisation solely dedicated to promoting Anglo-Dutch trade and investment.

From our start in 1891, we helped thousands of companies and entrepreneurs expanding

their business abroad.

The Netherlands-British Chamber of Commerce, 125 years experience in

Anglo-Dutch trade and investment promotion. Contact us now for:

• Access to interesting network events

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• Exclusive access to our intranet membership area

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NL Tel.: 070-205 5656 UK Tel.: 03333-440 779

Email: [email protected]

Or visit: www.nbcc.co.uk


62 | Issue 15 | March 2015

Discover Benelux | Business | Columns

How do you teach a cereal bar tospeak?

That’s a trick question. Cereal bars alreadyknow how to speak. In fact, inanimate ob-jects often speak (in a sense) with great clar-ity and eloquence.

Nor do I mean only those objects that havewriting on them, though that can certainly bepart of it. For instance, just by itself, a cereal barcan signal ‘healthiness’, ‘energy’ and ‘tasty reward’.

So I was intrigued when my friend Karel vander Waarde mentioned a project where the chal-lenge was to get a cereal bar NOT to say whatit usually says.

Karel is an information designer based nearBrussels. His work involves trying to make la-bels, packaging and literature about pharma-ceuticals more understandable.

The project was based on a brilliant idea:putting drugs that must be taken with food intoa cereal bar. The bar could be formulated to

contain the right mix of nutrients to balance thedrug. Patients could take their medicine at theright time no matter where they were. And theunpleasant taste of the medicine would be hid-den by the tasty flavor of the bar.

Ironically, from a communications stand-point, ‘tastiness’ was exactly the problem. If thebar looked like just another brand of cereal bar,people might be tempted to take a bite, thus un-wittingly getting a dose of medicine (and de-priving the patient of theirs). Yet if the bar lookedtoo unusual, or too medicinal, users would es-sentially be broadcasting their condition andprompting unwanted conversations.

Karel’s solution: to look for something in be-tween. He’s basically creating packaging that

says “Yes, I’m tasty,but I’m not a regu-lar cereal bar. I clearly have a special function,though I’m not going to tell youwhat it is. So runalong now!”

It’s a communi-cations solutionworthy of the original concept. Alas, it won’t beavailable anytime soon. The reason? Food isregulated by one branch of the government andmedicine by another. So for the product to winapproval, those two branches will have to com-municate.

Maybe we should send some cereal bars toshow them how it’s done.

What communicates?TEXT & ILLUSTrATION: JOSIAH FISK

Josiah Fisk

How can you get an instant picture of the culture of

a country you don’t know? One way is to visit the

website of veteran Dutch interculturalist, Geert Hof-

stede, who has identified six dimensions of cultural

difference and who claims to be able to measure

these for different countries. Recommending Hof-

stede comes with a health warning, because his

work is much disputed in academic circles. Never-

theless, if I want to get a quick snapshot of a place

I don’t know, then I look at his tables.

His six dimensions are 1 Power distance – how hierar-

chical a culture is; 2 Individualism versus collectivism –

‘I’ or ‘we’; 3 Masculinity versus femininity (contentious

terms!) – how far the culture exhibits ‘masculine’ or

‘feminine’ characteristics; 4 Uncertainty avoidance –

how far people feel comfortable with uncertainty; 5

Long versus short term orientation – strength of ad-

herence to tradition, attitudes to change; and 6, the lat-

est addition: Indulgence versus restraint – the extent

of ‘gratification of basic and natural human drives re-

lated to enjoying life and having fun’.

How do the Benelux countries look? Here is what

stood out for me.

1. The Belgians are significantly more hierarchical than

their neighbours. Inequalities are accepted, information

is power.

2. The Dutch are extremely individualistic, but the Bel-

gians and the Luxembourgers are not so far behind.

3. The Dutch show far more feminine characteristics

than their more masculine neighbours: their prefer-

ences are for ‘cooperation, modesty ... and quality of

life’ over ‘achievement, heroism, assertiveness and

material rewards for success’.

4. The Belgians are almost off the scale in their dis-

comfort about uncertainty and their need to manage

risk. ‘Planning is favoured.’ The Luxembourgers and

then the Dutch trail behind.

5. The Belgians are the least wedded to tradition. This

surprised me.

6. The Dutch are ahead of the others in the fun stakes.

Hofstede is a kind of parlour game. I’m not even sure

how valid the notion of national culture is at all. It’s cer-

tainly highly dynamic, and the cultural characteristics of

20 year-olds must look very different from older gener-

ations. However, as I said, it’s a snapshot, one I may

use at the outset to help me find my way from igno-

rance to understanding in a new and unfamiliar place.

Getting a cultural snapshot (of the Benelux)TEXT: STEVE FLINDErS | PrESS PHOTO

Steve Flinders

Josiah Fisk is the head of More Carrot LLC, a clear communications company with offices in

Boston and Luxembourg.

Steve Flinders is a freelance trainer, writer and coach,now based in Malta, who helps people develop theircommunication and leadership skills for working internationally: [email protected]; www.coachingyork.co.uk/item/steve-flinders/


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 63

Discover Benelux | Business | Business Calendar

Critical InfrastructureThe Hague, the Netherlands, 4-5 MarchThis conference focuses on convergencewhen examining the future threats to infra-structure. Critical Infrastructure Protectionand resilience Europe have secured worldleading experts to discuss whether Eu-rope’s infrastructure is secured from phys-ical as well as cyber dangers. Focusing ontransport, telecoms and energy, the pro-gramme combines different disciplines tofind possible solutions. Among the speak-ers are Ivo Opstelten, the Dutch Minister forSecurity and Justice, and FernandoSánchez, director general of the NationalCentre for Critical Infrastructure Protectionin Spain.www.cipre-expo.com

International Real Estate Investment FairCannes, France, 10-13 MarchThe Chamber of Commerce of Luxem-bourg will have a pavilion at this year’s 26thedition of MIPIM. The world’s leading prop-erty expo draws influential participants fromdifferent sectors, from residential to indus-trial. The event is perfect for networking ordiscovering new opportunities and it

awards the most successful companiesand individuals in the past year. A total of93 countries are represented and the ex-hibition space covers nearly 20,000 squaremetres, so definitely an event of great im-portance.www.mipim.com

Social Media TrainingBrussels, Belgium, 23 MarchUnderstanding social media has neverbeen more important, especially when itcomes to networking between businesses.That is why The British Chamber of Com-merce in Belgium will teach participantshow to do B2B social networking, how todo research, sector analysis and social ad-vertising. Ben romberg and Brett Kobiefrom Fleishman Hillard, a worldwide publicrelations and marketing agency, will ex-plain all the ins and outs of social mediacampaigns, how to plan them and how tomeasure their effect.www.britcham.be

Storage ExpoBrussels, Belgium, 25-26 MarchThe theme for this year’s Storage Expo is‘The Internet of Things’, centred on the

challenges of the exponentially growingmass of data. IT management, security,storage capacity and data managementall need to adjust to the information era andset up tools to tackle related problems.Combining a trade show, seminars andnetworking events, the expo will educate ITprofessionals and the like to use their stor-age capacity more efficiently.www.storage-expo.be

Smart Workplace Design SummitAmsterdam, the Netherlands, 19-20 MarchThis event, due to take place at the ParkPlaza Airport Hotel, already has globalbrands such as Disney, Electrolux and Nikesigned up for it. The two-day event willuse discussions and mini-projects to pro-mote dialogue between participants, max-imising the value of their experience. Thesummit will explain how a well-designedworking environment and company struc-ture increases productivity and how toachieve this. It includes a discussion onhow smart and open office space impactscultural aspects, norms, attitudes and per-formance levels.www.humanresources.flemingeurope.com

TEXT: STINE WANNEBO | PHOTOS: NBTC

Business Calendar

Photo: Koen Broos


64 | Issue 15 | March 2015

Jung makes a variety of work, from videosand performances to sculptures, texts andphotography, often combining them. Lan-guage is at the heart of it all; she plays withassumed meanings and engages peoplewith her facial expressions, performing witha mature awareness of her audience. Shehas a clear emotional involvement in what-ever she does, which makes her work allthe more appealing.

Education for artCurrently studying for an MFA at Gold-smiths University in London, Jung is nostranger to education – she has previouslystudied at the rietveld Academy in Ams-terdam, at the Folkwand in Essen and be-fore that at the Zürich University of theArts. What makes her work so interestingis her playful nature and the way she deals

with representations. She covers themesthat affect us all – the way we (digitally)record moments in life, our relationshipwith objects, people and memories.

Her courses in Amsterdam and Londonhave provided Jung with fruitful but verydifferent experiences. The rietveld Aca -demy exposed her for the first time topeople’s more blunt opinions whilst Lon-don, and in particular Goldsmiths Univer-sity, fascinated her.

Jung says: “All the talking, all the readinginto and out of, without ever having to at-tach value really impressed me.” But it’snot all easy, London isn’t the most efficientor cost effective as distances are too greatand time too precious. On the other hand,it is the place where she’s felt the

strongest sense of a community. “Lon-don makes me feel positively un-judged,which, in my case, is vital to me not freak-ing out,” she says.

A place to call homeOriginally from Luxembourg, Jung nowlives between London and Basel. Shecalls both Basel and Luxembourg herhome by default. “I love them the wayone loves the familiar – deeply and invol-untarily.” With her family dispersed acrossEurope she says she misses them in-tensely and is often homesick, but thesefeelings in fact push her work forward.

She says: “I seem to need that urgency,that sense of longing and the constant re-evaluation of identity for my work… in allmy chaos I now have created a haven of

Discover Benelux | Art Feature | Sophie Jung

S O P H I E J U N G

An artist on the upLuxembourg-born artist Sophie Jung is gaining a lot of attention from the international art world of late.

We caught up with her to find out what inspires her and how she deals with her jet-setting lifestyle between London,Basel and Luxembourg and soon New York.

TEXT: HEATHEr WELSH | PHOTOS: SOPHIE JUNG


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 65

calm in the form of a 99p plastic zip bagthat holds all I need to feel comfy. That is –a crystal object, a phone charger, a goodpen, a sleep mask, my kindle, some teabags, ear plugs…sometimes I imagine my-self as a low-tech J-Lo.”

Family influencesOne of Jung’s influences is her relation-ship with the stage. Many family membersworked in the theatre industry so she grewup surrounded by the excitement ofdimmed lights and red velvet. Other inspi-ration comes from the use of props and therelationship between actors’ public andprivate characteristics. She also loves lan-guage: “The spoken word, the sound oflanguage and its embedding is somethingI love playing with, something that inspiresme on a daily basis”.

Jung recently did an exhibition with hergrandmother, visual artist Germaine Hoff-man, called Between the lines: a clevererwoman or a more sincere one for theBelle Air gallery in Essen, Germany. De-spite growing up decades apart, theirwork has similarities and both artists ap-proach new ideas in a similar way: work-

ing with found material – Hoffman withnewspaper rips or old household fabricsand Jung with bulkier trouvailles orphrases and idioms. Jung says they alsohave a similar sense of composition, ofwhen something is “just right”.

Inspiration from modern lifeA lot of Jung’s inspiration flows from thestate of society today – more specifically,the rise of short-term loneliness and thesynthetic antidote of social media. “Theurge to shout out, yet carefully groomingthat shout,” as she describes it. Her workplays with these tensions, and the short-term fixes we all crave every day. “Some-times it feels like all of Western life is atragic comedy, a farce of the lost ones.We are the orchestra in the (fictitious) Ti-tanic, playing till we sink.”

In 2013 Jung was awarded the presti-gious Edward Steichen award but the realexperience is yet to come. This summershe will be part of a 6-month residency atthe ISCP in New York. She is also work-ing on a solo show for Temnikova &Kasela in Talinn, Estonia called New Wait-ing that will open in March.

“You could say it’s a material spin-off off atext I wrote called Moonlight Sonata / Ex-empli Gratia which deals with the conceptof ‘new waiting’,” she says. For Jung, newwaiting means “me sitting at the computerstaring into virtual space, knowing ‘he’ isout there somewhere, a green Facebook-dot, a recent tweet regularly confirming‘his’ presence. I sit and stare and feel ‘him’brush against my various digital profiles.”

sophiejung.allyou.net

ABOVE: Part of Jung’s exhibition Between the lines: a cleverer woman or a more sincere one with Germaine Hoffmann for Belle Air, Essen, Germany. TOP RIGHT: Pictureof Jung in 2014 during Trow Up / On Line for Haus für Elektronische Künste, Basel, Switzerland.

Discover Benelux | Art Feature | Sophie Jung

Current and upcoming exhibitions

Dear Luxembourg (Yours, Bucktoothed

Grl) at Nosbaum reding Projects, Lux-

embourg with: Sophie Jung, Germaine

Hoffmann, Emma Hart, Jenny Moore,

Athena Papadopoulos, Abri de Swardt

and Alice Theobald (until 7 March).

New Waiting at Temnikova & Kasela,

Tallinn, Estonia, curated by Juste

Kostikovaite (from 3 March).


Chili con Rana (serves 2)

“I created this dish about a yearago when someone asked me todo a ‘lovelier version of a chili concarne’. So I give you my Chili conrana (‘rana’ meaning ‘frog’ inSpanish), a great recipe for Easterlunch,” says Spreuwers.

Ingredients:Chili peppers 150gr Pealed tomato (1 can) 150gr red paprika coulis2 Cloves of garlic7gr Gelatine300gr Mixed beansSesame seedsBeef stockPaprika powderrock chives10 Frog legs

Mix the peeled tomatoes with the paprikacoulis. Blend in the garlic and season itwith pepper and salt. Put the massthrough a sieve and boil. Soak the gela-tine in cold water and blend it through thehot mass.

Clean up the mixed beans and make sureyou have at least 300 grams. Blanch themfor a short time in salted water and cool di-rectly in ice water. Warm the beans in clari -fied butter.

Clean up the frog legs and coat them in alittle flower. Cook them till crispy in warmbutter with olive oil.

Plate the dish as shown in the picture. Cre-ate a small pond with the tomato-paprikasauce. Use the different beans as stones,

they are the border around the pound. Therock chives are the plants growing be-tween the stones.

Flemish top chef Hilaire Spreuwers is thehead of Horeca Limburg, Belgium. He alsoworks as an expert consultant for the cater-ing industry through KitchenMotors.

With spring around the corner, why not try to get creative in the kitchen? One of Discover Benelux’s favourite chefs,Hilaire Spreuwers has given us a lovely recipe to turn your home into a fine dining establishment.

TEXT: HILAIrE SPrEUWErS | PHOTOS: rOOS MESTDAGH

66 | Issue 15 | March 2015

C H I L I C O N R A N A

Fine dining at home

Preparation:

Discover Benelux | Food | recipe


‘Festivities’ seems to be the word that best encompasses the range of events going on in the region. Whether it is acelebration of film, museums or cycling, it all seems to come together this month. The early signs of spring are here and

people are preparing for a brilliant season. Why don’t you join them?

TEXT: STINE WANNEBO | PrESS PHOTOS

Out & About


68 | Issue 15 | March 2015

The start of the festival seasonAmsterdam, the Netherlands, 4-8 MarchTwo of Amsterdam’s finest pop venues willspread hip tunes and new groovesthroughout the capital when 5 Days Offreturns for the fifteenth time. Techno,house, electronica and beats music will bestreaming from Paradiso and the Melkwegat the heart of Amsterdam. Acts includeFKA Twigs, Surgeon, Bicep and Funkin-even, all newcomers but on a steep wayup. Get a taste of the fresh new soundsand kick off the festival season a little ear-lier this year.www.5daysoff.nl

Night at the museumBrussels, Belgium, 7-8 MarchThe Museum Night Fever celebrates themuseums in Brussels for the eighth time.The event is an annual rebellion againstthe classic museum visit and over 500young people and 23 museums took partin the planning. From 7pm to 1am on 7March, musicians, dancers, performers,

visual artists, designers and actors will cre-ate a whole new museum scene that willsurprise, daze and captivate. Among themany events planned is a medieval ball inthe vaulted underground rooms of theCoudenberg, combining baroque musicand modern dance.www.museumnightfever.be

Putin a rainbowLuxembourg City, Luxembourg, 10 MarchArtists Sven Ehmann and Dennis Elbers willhost a lecture at Casino Luxembourg totalk about their current in-house exhibitionResolute – Design Changes featuring arange of design artists from across theglobe. This lecture, ‘The Interface Inter-face’ is aimed at creating an interface fordiscussing the way designers and audi-ences deal with social responsibilities ingraphic matter. The two artists will pointout how graphic designers work as inter-preters between complex information andsociety and how the role of designers haschanged over time. Not many people think

about how these artists influence opinion,behaviour and feelings, but Ehmann andElbers certainly have.www.casino-luxembourg.lu

A celebration in dance Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 11-15 MarchThe EYE in Amsterdam is the host of thisyear’s Cinedans, a film festival dedicated tothe art of dancing. For the twelfth year in arow there will be screenings of last year’svery best international dance films, exhibi-tions, talks and interactive installations.There are several extravagant and beauti-ful films premiering, each followed by aQ&A with the talented filmmakers. Work-shops and lectures will be scatteredthroughout the five-day event held bydance film professionals such as DerrickBrown and Maite and Bertha Bermudez.www.cinedans.nl

A festive colour explosionLuxembourg, Luxembourg City, 15 MarchCarnival Parade Pétange is one of the most

Photo: Courtesy of the Jeannette Ordman EstatePhoto: Matthew Valentin Photo: Lolo Trooskens


Issue 15 | March 2015 | 69

spectacular and oldest carnivals in thecountry. The first one appeared in 1937and although there have been some inter-ruptions along the way, the tradition liveson. Children and adults can take to thestreets on this lovely Sunday to enjoy thefestive music, the joyous spirit and thecolourful crowds passing on the cobble-stones. Whether as a clown or a memberof the marching band, people come fromafar to take part in this spectacular parade.www.kagepe.lu

Movies that matterThe Hague, the Netherlands, 20-28 MarchOver 70 films and documentaries will rollacross the screens of Filmhuis Den Haagand Theater aan het Spui. The ‘Moviesthat Matter Festival’ follows in the foot-steps of the Amnesty International FilmFestival, with the organisation promotingand screening films about human rightsand social injustice across the world, allyear round. This year’s edition is two dayslonger than previous years and featuresthe world premiere of the documentary

The Burden of Peace by Dutch filmmakersJoey Boink and Sander Wirken. Apart frommovie screenings there will be talk shows,debates, musical performances and an ar-ray of international guests so that everyvisitor is sure to find something they love.www.moviesthatm atter.nl

Thin wheels on cobblestoneFlanders, Belgium, March 25Dwars door Vlaanderen, a cycle raceacross Flanders, is always held on aWednesday and always one and a halfweeks before the pride of Belgian cycling:the Tour of Flanders. Criss-crossing Flan-ders, which is the English translation ofDwars door Vlaanderen, is the start of thespring’s classic races and uses partiallythe same route as its big brother a weekand a half later. The brightest stars of cy-cling use this race to prepare for the largerand more challenging races to come, as itcrosses many of the same steep hills andcobblestones as the famed Tour of Flan-ders. www.ddvl.eu

Discover Benelux | Culture | Out & About

Cleverly marked to coincide and complementone another, FACES THEN and FACES NOW atBOZAR present a comprehensive review of theplace portraiture has within art. FACES THENconsiders the revival of portraiture in the LowCountries during the Renaissance. This periodmarked the discovery of oil paint, a pivotal mo-ment in the history of portraiture, and this al-

lowed the masters of the time to realise worksthat were much more photorealistic than theirpredecessors’ attempts with tempera. How-ever, what is truly astonishing about the 50works on show, is that nearly 500 years laterthey have retained a sumptuousness and del-icacy that still manage to make the spine tingle.

FACES NOW deals with contemporary portrai-ture in the medium of photography. If the dis-covery of oil paint was important for portraiture,then the invention of photography was game-changing. This exhibition examines how pho-tographers since 1990 have used photographyto question how the identity of the individualmight have changed in the digitalised and glob-alised world. Portraits are no longer reservedfor the wealthy: nowadays anyone can havetheir photo taken, and a whole new light hasbeen shone on the subject. But although any-one can take a photo that is not to say it will bea particularly good photo. Fortunately FACESNOW showcases photos from some excep-tional European talents, such as Anton Corbijn,

Jeurgen Teller and Denis Darzacq, who areconsistently challenging and re-evaluating thegenre of photography.

Both exhibitions FACES NOW – European Por-trait Photography since 1990 and FACES THEN– Renaissance Portraits from the Low Countriesare on display until 17 May 2015 at BOZAR.

Faces Then / Faces NowTEXT: MATT ANTONIAK | PHOTOS: BOZAR

Riet Breukel ('Mother'),Amsterdam, 1997. Photo: Koos Breukel

Joos van Cleve Selfportrait c. 1519 oil on panel Museo Thyssen - Bornemisza, Madrid


70 | Issue 15 | March 2015

Discover Benelux | Lifestyle | Columns

If you’re considering moving to Amsterdam,

it’s a good idea to get an insiders’ view on its

various neighbourhoods. This month we take

a look at Amsterdam IJburg.

IJburg spans six artificial islands in Amsterdam

East. I’ve previously described the East part of the

city as being depressing and difficult to get to; well,

all of this and more applies to the “mistakes on the

lake” that make up IJburg. Being artificial and rel-

atively new, the area consists of many beautiful,

newly built apartment complexes, developed to a

high standard rarely seen in Amsterdam.

The Shallow Man knows people who live in

IJburg, and they have beautiful apartments, but

unfortunately, nothing else. The geniuses that

developed the area only created a single main

road/bridge that connects it with Amsterdam, so

it is not uncommon to see traffic jams in the

morning made up of people attempting to leave

the neighbourhood.

Unlike many other parts of Amsterdam,

IJburg lacks the vibrant bar, eetcafé and restau-

rant scene, which is commonplace in most parts

of the city. When in IJburg, one can’t help but

feel as if you are wondering around a giant film

set, so bereft is it of people or atmosphere.

Prior to the recession, much property de-

velopment took place here, which has led to

many now standing empty and available at

competitive prices. It’s so quiet here that dur-

ing a cold winter a man slipped in his brown

shoes on ice and lay frozen and undiscovered

for several days.

There is a single solitary tram that goes to

IJburg, or as it’s better known, the ‘Island of the

Isolated’. Visit this island and you’ll find people

in their lovely apartments, frozen for all eternity,

trapped, knowing that it’s simply too much trou-

ble to go anywhere else in Amsterdam and too

tedious to step outside of their houses.

If you are looking to live in a luxurious newly

built property, then this is definitely the place for

you. However, be prepared to spend up to thirty

to forty minutes to get to civilization and be pre-

pared for the excuses of friends who'll suddenly

have last minute emergencies or other plans

when they are scheduled to visit you. Other than

that, it’s a nice place to live.

amsterdamshallowman.com

TEXT: SIMON WOOLCOT | PHOTO: NBTC

Splendid isolation in Amsterdam IJburg

One thing that is close to the Luxem-bourger’s heart, or rather stomach, isfood. Many of us love, and live, to eat.Eating at least three meals a day is partof the common lifestyle. People enjoyhome-cooked meals; supermarketready-made meals are far less popular.

When eating out, the most popular restau-rants serve French and Italian dishes,adapted-to-please-Luxembourgers, thatcome in German-sized portions. Despiteour proverb: Wat de Bauer net kennt, datësst en net (“the peasant doesn’t eat whathe doesn’t know”), Luxembourgers areopen to exotic cuisines. In the ’80s and’90s, Chinese was very popular. Mind you,their meals were also adapted to pleasethe locals. In recent years, competition hasincreased from Indian, Japanese, and Thai

restaurants. It’s not unusual to have Indianin a place with Chinese decorations, left-overs from the previous tenants.

The world-famous coffee chain with thegreen logo has yet to set foot in Luxem-bourg, even though I believe the demandis there. For a few years, Luxembourgershave discovered their liking for cupcakesand food trucks. The future will tell whetherthese are fads or not. A very welcome de-velopment is that people are more aware ofwhat they put in their bodies. They realisethat they can live with eating less or nomeat, and that vegetarian or vegan foodcan be equally (ful)filling.

Food will continue to play a big part in ourlives but I hope that we will make healthierchoices in the future and not continue to

be ranked as one of Europe’s most obesecountries (OECD Obesity Update, 2014).

read more about Anouk’s life and travelson her lifestyle blog:

www.luxessed.com

TEXT & PHOTOS: ANOUK KALMES

Food for thought



The most beautiful spring garden in the world!

Keukenhof is the place to enjoy millions of flowering tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and other bulbflowers this spring. Keukenhof is a day full of experiences you are not likely to forget easily. The most beautiful spring garden in the world will offer you a unique sensation of scents and colours, more than 20 spectacular flower shows, surprising inspirational gardens and many more buzzing events.

2015 will be the year of Van Gogh at Keukenhof. Van Gogh is the inspiration for the flower shows, the new Selfie garden and a spectacular Van Gogh selfportrait containing ten thousands of tulips.

Public transport Bus line 858: From railway station Schiphol Airport – Keukenhof v.v. (departure from busplatform at Arrivals 4).


Documents

Discover Benelux & France | Issue 15 | March 2015