In the Brussels neighbourhood of Heyvaert stands a wall, a stoic structure closed off from its surroundings shaped by vibrant street life, trade, and cultural diversity. It is part of a building that has quietly endured many changes. This project engages with the structure’s critical transformation, recognising that to open it up is to expose the building to the social, spatial, and economic forces that shape the neighbourhood.

As the neighbourhood faces change through the disappearance of the car trade, its streetscape, informal economies, and existing ways of living will be fundamentally altered. Based on the “Drivers of Change” research, the project understands these transformations not as isolated events, but as part of an ongoing urban evolution shaping the future of Heyvaert. This proposal responds to these shifts by offering stability and support. Seen as another chapter in the development of Heyvaert, the building adds to the emergent patchwork that makes up this complex urban situation.

The building is vertically extended, adding openings within the old walls, and a new structural logic that builds upon the existing. Three stepped-back housing volumes are positioned above a productive and educational plinth, creating a softer transition towards the surrounding streetscape and the adjacent linear park. The project seeks to make ongoing change less disruptive and support the local residents most affected by it, through introducing spaces and shared areas tailored to the needs of the existing community. Through its facade composition, material choices, and integration of collective spaces, the project aims to remain socially anchored within the neighbourhood.

In contrast to profit-driven redevelopment, the proposal explores an alternative approach rooted in the needs of residents, everyday urban life, and the careful transformation of what is already there — positioning the architecture not in a way that is imposing towards its surroundings but carefully balanced within the existing urban fabric.
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This thesis investigates the Tintenpalast in Windhoek, Namibia, as a lens to explore colonial entanglements between people, knowledge, and resources in German Southwest Africa during the German colonial era. While previous studies have focused primarily on stylistic and formal aspects, this research takes a broader, interdisciplinary approach by situating the building within its political, material, and social contexts. Analysing the Tintenpalast reveals it as a manifestation of imperial ambitions, administrative pragmatism, and infrastructural challenges. By examining various sources, including architectural drawings, archival photos, and contemporary literature, the study reconstructs the complex relations that try to explain the building's location and design. The thesis highlights the conflicting interests of key actors: the Reichskolonialamt (Imperial Colonial Office), which aimed to express power through monumental visibility; colonial governors and administrators seeking efficient governance; German settlers demanding proximity and accessibility; and the Indigenous populations, who remained excluded from the process. A key focus in the making of the Tintenpalast lies in architectural adaptation. The work shows how German-trained architects like Gottlieb Redecker mediated between European Neo-style design ideals of the early 20th century and the colony's material, climatic, and logistical realities. The design iterations of the Tintenpalast reflect these dynamics, balancing metropolitan aesthetics with colonial feasibility. Ultimately, the thesis argues that the Tintenpalast exemplifies how colonial architecture operated not solely as a top-down imposition of power but as a negotiated outcome between privileged groups shaped by competing agendas, practical limitations, and infrastructural entanglements. Rather than viewing architecture as a static product, this research positions it as a dynamic process embedded in the socio-political and shaped by continuous adaptation. ... Read more