Arno Braet - Portfolio - Complete Works

7/23/2019 Arno Braet - Portfolio - Complete Works

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ARNO BRAET

PORTFOLIO

COMPLETE WORKS



PORTFOLIOGeneral

1. Career

2. Vision

3. Person

Assignments ... - 2009

1. Graduation project: workspace (Ostend, BE)2. Design: lounge rocking chair

Assignments 2009 - 2012

1. Architecture and technical: split-level house

2. Architecture and technical: ve ats (Bruges, BE)

3. Graduation project: eleven ats (London, UK)

Assignments 2012 - ...

1. Architecture: double co-housing unit

2. Architecture: parasite art residence (Ghent, BE)

3. Urbanism: public space (Liège, BE)

4. Urbanism: metropolitan park (Brussels, BE)5. Urbanism: containing sprawl (Brussels - Wemmel, BE)

Additional activities

1. Poetry

2. Photography

Epilogue



GENERAL1. Career

°18th of september 1991

Arno Camiel Braet

Mail: Kasteelstraat 72 - Tielt (8700) - Belgium

Ring: 0474/790580

E-mail: [email protected]

2003 - 2005

Middenschool II Stene (now Pegasus) - Ostend

Modern science

2005 - 2009

Ensorinstituut Oostende - Ostend

Architecture and interior design

2009 - 2012

HoWest Brugge Campus Simon Stevin - Bruges

Bachelor Applied Architecture (previously Architect Assistant)Internship: MOPurbandesign led by Philip Moyersoen - Ostend

2012 - 2014

LUCA Department of Architecture - Ghent

Transition program Architecture

2013 - 2016KUL / LUCA Department of Architecture - Leuven, Ghent, Brussels

Master of Urbanism and Spatial Planning (international)



GENERAL2. Vision

Architecture should make nature more attractive. Architecture is art (Alvaro

Siza). It is up to architects to show people how the future is not how we

think it will be. It is important to act on a small scale. To convince people

by showing results, not by dictating them how to live. An architect does not

work in an ivory tower or in a cave, but in the city he is changing.

He cannot do this though, without a full metal jacket and a strong team.

Urbanism and architecture can not live without eachother. This relationship

must therefore contain a lot of nuances. Urban design is not merely dening

areas by a top-down method, but also and equally important nding a balance

between people.

Further, urbanism is not only the making of city or the opening up of nature.It is not only humanism. Urbanism is a complicated collection of parameters

like there are ecology, economy and sociology - but also biodiversity and

mobility, futurism and innovation, tradition and historicism. The planning of

the physical world has to do as much with fauna as it has with ora. Humans

are only a fraction in the Earth’s system.

It is because of this, architects and urbanists should be careful in their designsfor the future. Bearing in mind how we are only freckles on the face of

universe, we must make most of our time here. People tend to forget how

vulnerable and rare life is. The way to remind and motivate those people is

by showing them results, for talk is cheap.



Talk is cheap, my darling

When you’re feeling right at home

I wanna make you move with condence

I wanna be with you alone.

Chet Faker; ‘Talk is cheap’; Built on glass; 2014



GENERAL3. Person

I am barely a scientist. I am mostly an artist. Making a bulletproof research

isn’t my personal forte. Making an honest one, is.

Every recent design came forth from the vision statement you have already

read. My interest for urbanism is based on a genuine belief it can adapt the

world in a durable and sustainable way, more than architecture possibly.

Besides that, I vouch for a poetic method of design. With knowledge of

local materials and traditional use of space connected to the project site. This

makes path for a slow-down-design. I do not mean to say a design should be

draggy, it must be aerodynamic for sure, but also well thought through.

I’m an urban planner, but also a poet, a designer and photographer. I’m Arno.



... - 2009

Graduating from highschool in 2009, I obtained a preliminairy degree in

Architecture and Interior Design. In these years I can say the most essential

thing I learned is to have an open mind. To question dogmas instinctivly and

to continuously try to improve design.

We had courses that introduced us to art history, design methods, drawingstyles and different media and techniques. In this way we got a full package

of skills which we all got to use in a different way.

This knowledge led to automatisms in my drawing style which I still use

today. I can’t say that I would be an as condent designer without the input

I got in the early days.

It was also this open minded teaching which paved my path to other ambitions.



... - 20091. Graduation project: workspace (Ostend, BE)

Main subject of this graduation project was the keyword ‘rhythm’. This

rhythm was freely interpreted as the rhythm of a heartbeat. Not slow, when

one is sleeping, nor fast, when one is running. I wanted to catch architecture

that delt with the rhythm of the heart that is irregular, not comforted but

insecure and nervous.

It is this theme that caught my attention and founded my entire design.

The project existed of sketches, paintings, papers and literature, ... But also

contained plans and 3D models.

The architecture project concerned an old laundromat to be converted in a

new ofce / workspace / or multifunctional housing unit. My proposal for

the site was a workspace for two psychological therapists. The design was based on Renaat Braem’s Huis Van den Branden (Ranst, BE).

Inside there are two rooms for individual consultations, divided by acoustic

walls. Upstairs there is one large room for group sessions. This room offers

space for a maximum of ten people.

The concept which dened this design was based on analysis of a historical building, specically it’s morphology. The architecture was reconverted to a

new model and the interior was adapted as such. Along everything the design

is subject to the main theme: the irregularity of rhythm. Most decisions are

made by using the golden section number Phi.



... - 20092. Design: lounge rocking chair

Besides the architecture we had to deliver a design for a piece of the interior,

being a chair, a lamp, a bath,... My proposal was a comfortable yet simple

lounge chair. The design of course went through a few stages. It started

from the classic lounge form, long and very horizontal. The design took four

weeks to complete, deliberating with external expertise.

The design was drawn by sketch, then converted into autocad (rst as a

at drawing, and later extruded to a 3D model). In the end it was made

by a 3D-cutter from a foam block. It eventually got padded with the right

materials.

The main structure is made in multilayered and steamed wood, providing a

exible but strong base. The outside layer is nished by a thin veneer. The padding of the main cushion is lled up with duck feathers, providing a soft

but rm and natural whole. The fabric can be chosen freely.



2009 - 2012

The years I spent studying at HoWest in Bruges had a very strong impact

on the way I see design, architecture and everything that has to do with

construction.

Whilst drawing smaller and bigger projects I learned that what looks simple

is most of the time the hardest to make. I graduated in 2012 with excellentknowledge of software as there are: Photoshop, Indesign, AutoCAD, 3DsMax,

Revit, Sketchup, and the basic ofce package.

My design is since as simple as possible, because unlogical detailing in

construction leads to problems in time. It is not to say that I do not like to

design construction details, I love it. They just need to retain a certain logic.

This was then also put to test when I completed my internship at the end.



2009 - 20121. Architecture & technical: split-level house

First year’s nal project asked us to design a split-level house. Program was

to offer room for a single family with two children. The split could be made

wherever, condition is that it must have a logical position.

In the rst weeks design starts with sketches and volumetric models. The

design grows steadily with a consultation each week. By midterm the designis nished. Plans on a scale of 1:100 are accompanied with facades and

sections. The main goal is to design a livable house with a logical sequence

of rooms/areas.

The roof must be at, the foundations must be constructed by footing. There

must be at least two bedrooms and a spare room. The house must be built

as compact as possible whilst keeping a decent grade of comfortability.Attention should be paid to materials and technically logic solutions.



2009 - 20122. Architecture & technical: fve ats (Bruges, BE)

In second year, density of the project is getting higher. We are asked to design

a building for ve ats. It must have a slanting roof structure in wood. This

must be made in a 3D-model. The program must offer two single bedroom

appartments and three double bedroom appartments.

The Bruges planninglegislation must be respected. The rst part asks for a

complete planning application. The design is based on qualitative spaces and

privacy for every tenant, but also aims to introduce livelihood in the building

by offering common areas to all residents.

There is a large inside park area with waterstructures and trees. It is important

to design an area wich connects all built structures and still offers peaceful

and quiet spaces.

The second part of the assignment asks to produce an as detailed as possible

plan to realize the building. This part contains detailed sections and plans.

Amongst nancial estimations and a library of materials.

The design must be drawn in detail to a level where it can be built when one

would see t. This detailing is then tested for sustainability, craftsmanshipand exibility in time. The technical solutions are tested on their innovative

power, on the amount of improvement they offer to mainstream detailing

and their contemporality.

This excercise was clearly putting more attention to technicality than towards

the design of the building itself.



2009 2012



2009 - 20123. Graduation project: eleven ats (London, UK)

2011. The nal year starts. There is one dominant assignment where everything

is brought together. This assignment beholds three steps.

An introductive step: site visit to London’s olympic area, reference high

density housing projects, kickstart to an urban planning design method and

as output a masterplan for the whole site.

A second step: two months are given to create a sustainable design to answer

the question ‘what after the olympics?’. The design must contain eleven

housing units: one unit for a disabled person, three single bedroom units,

three double bedroom units, three triple bedroom units and one unit to house

three generations.

The nal step: the second and last semester is dedicated to complete all plans

to a detailed level as seen in the previous project. These are more complex

because of the use of non-traditional materials and methods. As such the

facade may not be made out of brick and the structure must be constructed

as a framework of either wood, steel or concrete collums and slabs.

Photorealistic renders must be made of the interior design to show how thespaces work, and how the views are. Technical details must be shown in

three dimensions to show their complexity.

All this of course in addition to plans of different scales and purposes,

sections and facades, structural isometries, electrical plans, sanitary plans,

ventilation plans, re escape routes, extensive documentation of materials

and systems,... etc.



2012 - ...



After graduating as an architect assistant, I wanted to persue still higher

ambitions. My hunger was brisked up when we had to design the masterplan

of the nal project in London.

At the time I didn’t know anything about urban planning and I thought by

understanding the bigger picture I had a better chance on making an actual

difference and change.

Hence, I am studying Urbanism and Spatial Planning. First I had to nish a

switching program. This contained mostly architecture courses, both theory

and practice.

The last two years I’m mainly designing on a larger scale. Projects tackle

local and supralocal, regional and metropolitan cases and poblems.

2012 - ...



1. Architecture: double co-housing unit

This rst architecture assignment doesn’t aim to achieve great technical

detail, but challenges us to think again in concepts. The main goal is to

develop a clear and strong idea.

Program of the site offers space to two single family houses. These are very

compact, only holding a surface of 12x12 metres / unit. The houses can only

have 1 storey above the ground oor. The second house is inevitably hidden behind the rst for the street entrance is located on the short side.

The most logical solution came to mind after trying a dozen of other ideas.

And this was one of co-housing. Not seeing the units as seperate, but as one.

In this way there only had to be one entrance and the interior design could

be conceived a lot compacter by designing common areas.



2012 - ...2 A hit t it t id (Gh t BE)



2. Architecture: parasite art residence (Ghent, BE)

Design an art residence sky box hanging from- or standing on top of theBelgacom building in Ghent; this was what we got told in second semester.

The design was underheavy to a few parameters, for the load bearing structure

had to be wood. Steel and concrete could only be used for reinforcements

of second order. This is done by creating stuctural models, by testing them

with forces in different directions and researching methods of xation to the

building.

The residence must offer great views, a sleeping and washing area, a small

meeting room and workspaces. I tried doing so by making a oating plan

with a facade libre. Held up by one gigantic central beam the rest of the

rooms are created by perpendicular scaffolds.

The idea is entirely modernistic and is based on the less is more concept.



2012 - ...3. Urbanism: public space (Liège, BE)



This indroductory exercise was the rst of three group assignments we

had to complete during two years. It tried to reveal problems that were

insurmountable for the sustainable development of the city of Liège.

Split up in different groups we did our research on the case of the medieval

centre of the city. This part was divided in many fragments. The only structures

that were keeping it from total disorder were the river and two main roads parallel to it. The roaring sixties had a large impact with two buildings: Cité

Administrative (vertically) and the Museum of modern arts (horizontally).

We tried to undo or adapt this scale difference with interventions throughout the

whole area. Like this we were able to make a more permeable neighbourhood

where buildings and streets are not only ground level based, but reach out to

more levels.



2012 - ...4 Urbanism: metropolitan park (Brussels BE)



4. Urbanism: metropolitan park (Brussels, BE)

In teams of two we nalized this second semester assignment after a thorough

analysis in large groups. We built further on the lacks we found in the capital’s

metropolitan and dense tissue. The main problem we wanted to tackle was

the lack of green spaces and open permeable areas.

We therefore designed a metropolitan park in the Molenbeek district. The perfect site was located at the West-station, where abandoned terrains were

left overgrown.

With our design we wanted to redevellop these terrains. We added ve areas

wich were complementary to eachother and tted in a larger vision for the

area. This vision enabled the soft trafc to travel freely and safely along a

bicycle- and pedestrain corridor with greenery and places to rest.

In detail we designed such a place: an area with ve different sorts of

program attached to it. There is for instance a residential area with CO²-

neutral housing units (1), a productive landscape with allotment gardens (2),

restaurants and café’s that make use of these gardens for provisions and are

located in a refurbished building (3), a metropolitan forest and an open area

for events (4), and an extension to the new West-station with an elevated

forest, inaccessible to humans (5).

Besides these interventions we also paid great attention to the overall

crossability of the area. By restoring old axes and integrating them into the

design, we enhance and stimulate crossing the area and exploring more of

the city.



2012 - ...5. Urbanism: containing sprawl (Brussels - Wemmel, BE)



For the nal group assignment we worked together with international PhD

students from Belgium, Greece and Ethiopia. This generated the most open

discussions, but also the most difcult ones.

We started from a social housing estate. Each group gets assigned one. Ours

was Modelwijk, designed by the legendary Belgian architect Renaat Braem.

We started interviewing people on the site to base our research. What do people think of their neighbourhood and how is it different to the pristine

design.

Two concepts are developped, based on how Modelwijk is dened. It is in

one direction part of an archipelagos of islands of different categories. On

the otherhand it is part of an urban arm rupturing from Brussels through the

inexistent administrative border.

In the second half of the semester we started working on the latter. We

wanted to turn this concept in a real strategy to contain the urban sprawl

that is contaminating the agrarian landscape. We started from the idea of an

intesication in the area.

This intensication would have to be hung up on a framework of quick

and easy transportpossibilities. So we introduced a tramway. In specic an

extension of an existing tramway wich makes a loop through the urban arm.

Everything built beyond a certain perimeter will have to be discouraged.

Inside the perimeter emerges an inverted prole of different typologies, with

a central promenade, local shops, markets, squares and patio’s. Outside there

will again be made space for nature and agriculture.



ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES1. Poetry

As I said in the beginning I am not only an urban planner and a designer I am



As I said in the beginning, I am not only an urban planner and a designer. I am

also a poet. I try to use my interest for poetry in a way that is complimentary

to my urban planning activities. In that sense I wrote a small poetry book to

go with the last project of the urban arm. But this is not how I started out as

a poet.

It all begun in the early years when I was still in highschool. When my poem

admission got shortlisted in the school’s poetry competition, I had an urge to

continue writing. And so I did.

In 2011 my rst poetry book, “De Poel - zeventien gedichten en interpretaties”

got published. As the title says, it had seventeen poems and interpretations

inside. These interpretations where those of nine different artists. The cover

of the book is drawn by the graduating artstudents of the Ensorinstituut. “DePoel” is for the moment reaching the last copies of the second edition.

In november of 2014 the successor to the debut was released in an entirely new

format. “Kalebas” counts thirty poems and is integrally developped by hand.

Each poem is typed seventyve times. And again the coverart is designed by

different artists and friends. As such, each exemplar of “Kalebas” is unique.

In februari of 2015 “Kalebas” got released in a printed format. Besides the

classic book there is a soundscape made by HiDef TM. This soundscape counts

thirty tracks for a total of sixty minutes.

The poem “Dromer” got shortlisted for the Ensor poetrycompetition 2009

The poem “Mmmm” got shortlisted for the Ostend poetrycompetition 2011

The poem “Beeld #3” got shortlisted for the Poemtata poetrycompetition 2014



ADDITIONAL1. Photography

Next to this I have the less professional hobby of photographing architecture



p y p g p g

and people with a very cinematographic style. As always the conditions for

a good photograph are subjected to the less is more concept. Filters should

make a difference and aftereffects should only be used to rene or emphasize

the framing/composition or the subject/ethos.

Of course I try to use photography to make design more human. As I said,

I am not a scientist. I believe soft media as photographs and poetry can

contribute to a more complex and a more understandable story.

Photographs often show more than their pixels. I make mine with three

analog cameras: Praktica MTL5, Pentax SPOTMATIC and AGFA BILLY.And one

digital camera: Canon 400D.

“Intermezzo”, pictures and poems exhibition, Ostend (2010)

“Island vs Ghetto”, pictures and poems exhibition, Ghent (2015)



EPILOGUE

In this book you nd every notable project



In this book you nd every notable project

I completed in my student years from

2008 to 2015. This means my Master

graduationproject is still missing. I will

complete it in 2016.

I would like to thank my entire family, myfriends and my girlfriend for the enormous

support through these years.

Thanks for the long nights, working in

basements and small appartments. Thanks

for the many afternoons and weekends.

Without those I wouldn’t have made it.

Also many thanks to the motivating

lecturers and teachers. Even after I left

school there was still support coming from

you.

This book is a compilation of the workI did, it is to know for the reader this is

only a small piece of the entire projects I

participated in and was a part of.

I sincerely hope this book showed you

who I am.

I am Arno.



ARNO BRAET

MMIX - MMXVBACHELOR - MASTER - ARTIST

Arno Braet - Portfolio - Complete Works

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