Designing for the Public. Flemish Government Architect 1999-2009

Appointed with a pivotal role to protect, guide and stimulate qualitative good architecture, the Master Architect (Bouwmeester) in Flanders, Belgium, is a privileged and important position. The last decade has seen two successive Bouwmeesters, Bob van Reeth and Marcel Smets, approach their role with different, yet nevertheless specific approaches and areas of attention. Written by Hans Ibelings, this illustrated survey takes a look at this institution’s results, successes and failures over the last decade.