Swann Arr. Cultural Center © Nyan Zay Htet
Rooted in belonging
New South stands for an architecture in relation to and at the service of invisible narratives.
New South is an international office of architecture, urbanism and anthropology based in Paris and Brussels. Referring to Bell Hooks, the office puts the margin at the center. New South questions the social, political and economic dynamics that act upon territories and form their architecture. Their practice brings architecture in relation to and at the service of invisible narratives. New South is led by two partners with multidisciplinary and multicultural profiles: Meriem Chabani (DZ/FR) and John Edom (UK/FR).
From the transformation of Vernon Public Space (ongoing, Normandie, FR) to the layered, community-centered design of the Swann Arr Cultural Center (2022, Taungdwingyi, MM) the work of New South reveals a commitment to architecture as both socially and spiritually rooted. The practice of New South emerges from contexts of displacement, migration, and negotiation—engaging with the redefinition of identity, borders, and belonging. This results in spaces designed to invite contemplation and care, more than merely physical enclosures.
AUDITORIUM ‘25-’26 - ROOTED: Architectures of relating
Lecture series on architecture and urbanism
Curator: Hanne Van Reusel, Stad & Architectuur
How does architecture acquire meaning? Which relations ground its practice? How do we engage with places, people, materials and poetics -within our wider ecological and social systems?
ROOTED explores architecture in its many forms, as part of an inextricable web of relations. It highlights practices that are deeply attuned to their environments—through poetic sensitivity, material exploration, long-term community collaboration, or acts of care. The invited speakers reflect on the relational processes that shape their work: the ways of seeing, acting, and engaging that give architecture its grounding and resonance.
PROGRAMME
19:45 Doors
20:00 Start lecture
21:30-21:45 End
PARTNERS
STUK, KU Leuven Dep. architecture, Existenz
With the support of the City of Leuven and the Flemish Government
SPONSOR
Vandersanden Group & Groep Van Roey
Location
Price
€ 12 standard
€8 STUK card
free for students, members S&A and partners
