I’m a mother of three, an architect, a researcher, an educator, a food lover, … and always on the lookout to learn new things!
I look forward to getting to know you and finding out how we can collaborate.
As a person, the direct and indirect relations between people and their environment absolutely fascinate me.
In my work, the interaction between ‘practice’ and ‘theory’ is a common thread, as I find it essential to reflect on my actions and relate any research findings to the real, everyday world.
expertise
I am experienced in working on both the practical and academic aspects of (landscape) architecture and spatial planning.
My expertise lies in:
- initiating and leading architectural and research projects,
- scaffolding collective, transdisciplinary learning processes, and
- spreading knowledge to professionals, students and civil society.
mini bio
From 2000 until 2007, I studied Architecture at the Sint-Lucas University College for Science & Arts in Ghent (graduation project ‘Il faut danser la vie‘, magna cum laude) and Spatial Planning at the University of Ghent (graduation project ‘Maatschappelijk draagvlak voor Ruimtelijke Ordening‘, magna cum laude).
After finishing my studies and successfully completing my internship at architectenbureau Serck in Ghent, I worked as an independent architect for several years.
In this context, I worked on various projects, including several housing refurbishments, two public buildings, and several competitions.
In 2009 I was offered a grant by the Brussels-Capital Region (Innoviris) to research ‘The Role of Temporary Use of urban Waiting Spaces’. This research (promoted by Prof. Kees Doevendans, Sint-Lucas & TU/e and Prof. Bruno De Meulder, ASRO, KU Leuven) led to a series of publications, workshops and consultancy assignments on ‘temporary use’, ‘bottom-up urbanism’, and ‘tactical urban planning’.
From 2014 until 2020 I worked at the Department of Landscape Architecture of the Erasmus University College Brussels, where I co-founded and led the Centre of Expertise ‘tuin+’. My work there involved the exploration of the ‘gardenlandscape’ (= the accumulation of the variety of semi-public, semi-private and private open and green spaces) on a theoretical and spatial level.
In 2022 I defended my PhD (conducted at the KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture and promoted by Prof. dr. Burak Pak and Prof. dr. Yves Schoonjans) on ‘Increasing socio-spatial resilience through temporary appropriation of urban waiting spaces for housing: a Participatory Action Research on the Solidary Mobile Housing project in Brussels’.
Since 2022 I’m employed as Service-Learning Facilitator at the KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture (campuses Brussels & Ghent). In this context, besides initiating, supporting, and developing various Service-Learning initiatives at our faculty, I also teach several Service-Learning courses to master’s students in architecture, interior architecture, and urbanism.