Bento | Architecture

BENTO ARCHITECTURE

Architects Makers Curators Materials Research

How can we rethink architecture in a world of finite resources? We propose experimenting with enviable alternatives for our territories, our cities, alternatives that would be forged with and from the living beings who inhabit them and are their constituent fabric. These experiments would in essence only extend, expand, and even honour the multiple (and often neglected) arrangements by and between humans and non-humans, the living and non-living.

IN PROGRESS

· 2022-2023_Curator of the Belgian Pavilion for the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023, Project In Vivo, in collaboration with philosopher Vinciane Despret

· 2023_Project management assistance for the use of bio-based materials in the construction of an educational farm and environmental house, HBAAT (lead architects), Neuville-en-Ferrain, France

In Vivo, Plan of the Belgian Pavilion

18th International Architecture Exhibition Venice Biennale(2023), en co-curation avec Vinciane Despret (Philosopher) en collobarotation avec Corentin Mahieu (Designer), Juliette Salme (Anthropologist), Corentin Müllender (microbiologist)

· 2023_Project management assistance for the use of bio-based materials in the construction of a children's home, with HBAAT (lead architects), Lille, France

PROJECTS

· 2021_Project Architecture Center for Regenerative Materials, EUROPAN 16 (Award-winning project), CIVA site, Brussels, Belgium

· 2021_Exhibition 52 Hertz at the Contemporary Art Center of Belgian Luxembourg (CACLB), with Didier Mahieu, painter and Futur Primitif (Corentin Mahieu, Charles Wendehenne and Emmanuel Berard), designers, ceramists and architects, Montauban-Buznol, Belgium

As architects, we must engage our practice. We must replace lines with walls,which integrate materials,production lines and know how.

· 2021_Exhibition and Conference as part of Fact Sahel+, in collaboration with L'Harmattan architecture, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

· 2021_Participation in the exhibition Terra Fibra Award at the Pavillon de l'Arsenal, in collaboration with L'Harmattan architecture, Paris, France

· 2020_Exhibition Stool 17 as part of the "Galerie des futurs" exhibition, Patch 01, led by Gilbard, Juliette Le Monnyer and Lucie Payoux, Palais des Beaux-Arts (BOZAR), Brussels, Belgium

· 2020_Exhibition of mycelium research as part of the Design Textile Exhibition, on invitation from the Academy of Fine Arts, textile section, at MAD, Brussels, Belgium

· 2019_Creation of a research laboratory around living materials at the "Fungal Lab" in collaboration with Maytu Biomaterials, Brussels, Belgium

Chantier - Vue intérieur de l'atelier, Fondation Hubi & Vinciane, Parakou, Benin en collaboration avec BC Architects et Hé! Architecture (2019)

· 2018_Participation in the itinerant exhibition Terra Award in collaboration with L'Harmattan architecture, at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium

· 2018_Innovation center for the Hubi & Vinciane Foundation, co-contracting with BC architects & studies and Hé! Architecture, Parakou, Benin

· 2017-2020_Xewa Sowé, research and construction of a center for children, in collaboration with L'Harmattan architecture (Arianna Fabrizi de Biani and Doryan Kuschner), Sowé, Benin

PRIZES | AWARDS

· 2022_Venice Biennale (La Biennale di Venezia) - Winner for the Belgian pavilion at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale, Venice, Italy

· 2021_Green Solution Award - COP26, Construction 21 International - Finalist for the Green solutions awards

2021, Glasgow, Scotland

· 2021_TerraFibra Award 2021 - Finalist for the global award for contemporary architecture in earth and/or plant fibers, Paris, France

Ceramic kiln implanted in a former forge, built and designed by Bento, constructed with a wooden frame and cladding made of wood burned on site. As part of the "52 Hertz" exhibition at CACLB. (2021)

· 2021_Phillipe Rotthier European Prize of Architecture - Project nominated for the Genius Loci European prize, Brussels, Belgium

· 2021_Europan 16 - 1st Prize Europan 16, CIVA site, Brussels, Belgium

CONFERENCES | ROUNDTABLES

· 2023_Presentation of the Belgian pavilion In Vivo, Domaine Les Davids, Viens (Lubéron), France

· 2023_Participation in the roundtable (Re)thinking resources with other curators of Francophone pavilions, Architecture Biennale 2023, Venice, Italy

· 2023_Presentation as part of the Regenerative materials CAS, on invitation from Guillaume Habert and Arnaud Evrard (Lehm ton erde), ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

· 2023_Participation in the roundtable Ecoles Troubles organized by Sophie Dars, moderated by Christine Schaut and Pauline Lefebvre, with Jean-Louis Violeau (ENSA Nantes), Michael Ghyoot (Rotor), Feda Wardak (Aman Iwan), La Cambre-Horta Faculty of Architecture (ULB), Brussels, Belgium

· 2023_Participation in the seminar Practices in research #4_beyond the mandate, CIVA and La Cambre-Horta Faculty of Architecture (ULB), Brussels, Belgium

Xèwà Sowé - Children's reception center in Benin - 2019, in collaboration with L'Harmattan architecture (Arianna Fabrizi de Biani and Doryan Kuschner)

· 2023_ Presentation of the Belgian pavilion In Vivo, A Creative lunch & talk organized by Audrey Comtesse (ICA) and Collectible as part of the architecture exhibition Ce qu'habiter veut dire, MAD, Brussels, Belgium

· 2022_Participation in the roundtable How to build tomorrow in light of ecological issues, with Lina Ghotmeh, Sarah Ouhaddou, Valentine Umansky & Anissa Touati, Thalie Foundation, Brussels, Belgium

· 2022_Participation in the roundtable "Matter as a tool for transmitting the transition", with Victoria Foster Cober (BC materials), Nicolas Atlé and David Bayle (UMons), CID Innovation and Design Center, Grand-Hornu, Belgium

· 2022_Blank event, Récif, Brussels, Belgium

· 2022_Conference From Matter to Architecture as part of the Outre-Mondes Festival, Eden Cultural Center, Charleroi, Belgium

· 2022_Roundtable Brussels is mine - Reloading our building culture?, moderated by Véronique Patteeuw, with Jean Garcin (Karbon), Camille Mommer (Natura Mater), Pieter Broekaert (Democo), and Pascal Smet, organized by BC architects & studies as part of Archiweek, Reset, Brussels, Belgium

· 2022_Roundtable organized by the Belgian movement of Happy and Creative Frugality, with Philippe Madec, Jean Garcin (Karbon), Anton Meertens (BC Materials), and Odile Vandermeeren, Brussels, Belgium

· 2022_Conference and exhibition Future Fungi with Maïtu Biomaterials at Recyclart, Brussels, Belgium

· 2022_Conference as part of the Biosphere festival, Jolimont Castle, Brussels, Belgium

Copie de 7A6B63BC-D57A-4B8F-AA78-11F9E7AC7521.jpg

Architecture center for regenerative materials, Proposal to transform CIVA into a center for experimentation, training, and production focused on regenerative materials, located in the CIVA site in Brussels, Europan 16, 2021, award-winning project.

· 2022_Participation for New European Bauhaus, Brussels, Belgium

· 2022_Roundtable Habiter l’anthropocène ? with Anna Tsing, Juliette Salme (organized by Vinciane Despret), Faculty of Philosophy and Letters at the University of Liège (ULiège)

·2021_Roundtable discussion around the book Autobiographie d'un poulpe, et autres récits d'anticipation by Vinciane Despret, with Vinciane Despret, Didier Mahieu, and Futur primitif, Contemporary Art Center of Belgian Luxembourg, Montauban-Buzenol, Belgium

· 2021_Conference Response + Responsibility. Design for a more responsible tomorrow, Flagey, Brussels, Belgium

· 2018_Conference at the KANAL POMPIDOU Center Brussels as part of the Now what? exhibition, in collaboration with L'Harmattan architecture, Brussels, Belgium

WORKSHOPS

· 2023_International Design Workshop week (IDW) Workshop Laboratory of the future, Faculty of Design Sciences of the University of Antwerp and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of the AP University of Applied Sciences and Art Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

· 2019_Fungal Lab workshop, invited by the Gilbard collective, Brussels, Belgium

· 2018_Workshop on the construction site with raw earth in Sowé, Benin

BOOKS | PUBLICATIONS | ARTICLES

STOOL17, tabouret en mycélium - Marie Aynaud © (1).jpg

Stool 17, A stool with a mycelium seat and cherry wood legs, in collaboration with designer COMA (Corentin Mahieu).

· 2023_Book Demeurer en mycélium speculative narration by Vinciane Despret & Bento, Christine Aventin, Juliette Salme (authors), Ed Editions de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.

· 2023_Publication Architectures Wallonie-Bruxelles. Inventaires #4, ICA-WB, Brussels, Belgium

· 2022_Publication in Europan 16 Results Catalogue - Living Cities /1, Europan Europe, for the Architecture Center for regenerative materials project, Montreuil, France

· 2021_Publication in Terra Fibra architectures by Dominique Gauzin Muller and Aurélie Vissac, Pavillon de l'Arsenal Editions, France. for the Xewa Sowé project.

VIDEO | MOVIE

· Europan16 - Brussels (BE), Architecture Center for Regenerative Materials - Winner - Video edited by Bento x Kluut

PRESS | RADIO | TELEVISION

CERTIFICATION

· Master in Architecture (Art of Building, Landscape and Urbanism), with great distinction, specialized degree awarded by the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB).

· Specialization and in-depth degree in Earthen Architecture awarded by the National School of Architecture of Grenoble (ENSAG)

Chantier - Vue intérieur de l'atelier, Fondation Hubi & Vinciane, Parakou, Benin en collaboration avec BC Architects et Hé! Architecture (2019)

· Accreditation of the state-recognized diploma in architecture for the exercise of project management in one's own name (HMNOP) awarded by the National School of Architecture and Landscape of Lille (ENSAPL)