FLIRT FLAMAND

 

Flirt Flamand is an initiative of the Flemish Government to strengthen the cultural dialogue between the French-speaking and Dutch-speaking communities. This was done by promoting Flemish books that have been translated into French. The initiative took place at the book fair Foire du Livre in Tour & Taxis, where Flanders was a guest of honour.

The assignment to design the Flemish pavilion (the main pavilion of the fair) was received by my former internship company Deusjevoo. They gave me the opportunity to design this assignment from start to finish almost completely independently, to work it out and to follow it up.

 

The assignment was to design an auditorium where authors could present their book, but that could also serve as a place to debate, hold reading sessions or do workshops. As the icing on the cake, the pavilion was also the setting for a visit by Queen Mathilde to the fair.

​

The concept of the design started from the idea of playing with the different ways of seeing performances. For example, you can listen in from a distance, squeak along behind the wooden compartments or listen comfortably on the seat stairs inside.

This is how the wooden wall of the pavilion was created: wide enough to rest your elbows, closed enough for an intimate atmosphere inside, and at the same time open enough to arouse curiosity from the outside through the sounds and short views as you pass. In this way, the Flemish pavilion almost literally flirts with its passers-by.

​

More info and pictures can be found on the following websites: literatuurvlaanderen.be and 

deusjevoo.be.  Photographer: Michiel Devijver.

​