Nicolas Coeckelberghs - From Earth to Architecture

The Hearing Architecture podcast, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, presents Again and Again and Again, a mini-series hosted by Hilary Duff.

Each week we bring you interviews and conversations as we seek better ways to understand, harness and deploy the expertise and knowledge of professionals currently within the design community, at home and abroad. Our guests are all experts on circularity within the building industry and share the aim to display that waste is not an accident, but the consequence of decisions made at the design stage. Here is our opportunity. We as designers have an opportunity to do better.

Until recently, earthen construction methods were widespread globally, but in the 19th century industrial bricks and concrete revolutionized the construction landscape. This shift ushered in a new era where traditional earth building materials were supplanted by industrial alternatives, leading to a surge in housing production and widespread access to quality shelter. However, industrialization also brought drawbacks such as excessive material usage, pollution, and rising greenhouse gas emissions, particularly noticeable from the 1960s onward. Today, the construction sector bears a heavy environmental burden, contributing significantly to CO₂ emissions, raw material consumption, air pollution, and waste generation. Nonetheless, there is vast potential for the industry to operate more sustainably by incorporating proven materials from our past. 

Joining us in this episode is Nicholas Coeckelberghs of BC architects, Brussels, an architect dedicated to implementing these changes.

Nicholas is an architect and co-founder of hybrid practice, designing and undertaking "acts of building" towards systemic change in the construction sector. BC stands for Brussels Cooperation and points to how BC grew - embedded within place and people. They operate through 3 legal entities registered in Belgium; BC architects (a design studio), BC studies (a non-profit education laboratory), and BC materials (a material production cooperative).

BC strive for bioregional, low-tech, circular, beautiful, and inclusive design. They work with their minds and hands, undertaking activities such as community organisation, material production, contracting, teaching, and prototyping.

I was lucky enough to visit the workshop back in June 2023. I turned up with my audio interview equipment but somehow ended up elbow-deep in clay and aggregate joining one of the team’s iconic earth construction workshops. This is an example of the enthusiasm and out-of-the-box thinking of the BC crew. 

Nicholas and I spoke about how the kind of change that is needed to the construction industry is a cultural one. And how transition needs to be learned as a practice. BC has identified that it takes time for construction communities to imbibe certain kinds of knowledge — knowledge more often accrued through learning by doing, and by collaborating. A kind of knowledge that arises from an act of ‘getting close’ to a material or a method, through processes of trial and error. BC Materials is not a normal material production company

The studio and workshop operate on a Brussels wasteland in a fully demountable and circular production hall, which can be transported to other locations in the Brussels region. It is governed as a cooperative of workers and other interested parties, reflecting its aim to achieve broad and lasting impact in the construction sector. They do this by building a community and creating capacity around earth construction, and one which does not aim for the fastest possible sale of building materials or for the highest possible profit margins. BC negotiates the balance between a commercial activity and a societal mission and aims to show, and to implement, strategies for a proper transitioning of our construction sector to a culture of local, circular, almost CO2-neutral construction in between craftsmanship and industry. I eventually got around to dusting off and recording with Nicholas.

This has been Again&Again&Again, a mini-series of Hearing Architecture, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, and made possible with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation. This episode was recorded during a period of residency with the Danish Arts Association, in Copenhagen. Thank you so much for listening and thank you to our international guests Nicholas Coeckelberghs of BC architects and studies. Thank you for your expertise in materials, insights in sustainable and circular building and intensive fieldwork. Thank you for acting on behalf of the generations after us and for encouraging us to quite literally, get our hands dirty with materials around us.

Let’s watch this space and we look forward to speaking with you again in the future.

Our sponsor Brickworks also produces architecture podcasts hosted by Tim Ross. You can find ‘The Art of Living’, ‘Architects Abroad, and ‘The Power of Two’, at brickworks.com.au or your favourite podcast platform.

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This is a production by the   Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. The miniseries Again&Again&Again is proudly supported by the Alastair Swayn Foundation. The Institute production team was Madelynn Jenkins, and Claudia McCarthy, and the EmAGN production team was Daniel Moore.

This content is brought to you by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. This content does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. This content does not constitute legal, financial, insurance, or other types of advice. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in circumstances where loss or damage may result. The Institute endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or will become inaccurate over time.

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We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia where this podcast was produced, as the first storytellers, the first communities and the first creators of Australian culture. I extend that respect to the Traditional Custodians of country throughout the multiple places abroad where this podcast was recorded.  We thank Traditional Custodians for caring for Country for thousands of generations.  and recognise their profound connection to land, water, and skies.