Peter

Swinnen

Peter Swinnen is a Brussels based architect testing and deepening the convergence of space production and political policy. After his apprenticeship at Luc Deleu/T.O.P. Office (www.TOPOFFICE.to) he co-founded 51N4E with Lieven De Boeck (1997), which he spearheaded until 2014 (www.51N4E.com). Between 2010 and 2015 Swinnen enrolled as Flemish State Architect – Baumeister - a public mandate empowering architecture as a policy-making discipline (www.vlaamsbouwmeester.be). Since 2015 he practices architectural policy whispering at CRIT. (www.CRIT.cc). Swinnen has taught and lectured at the Architectural Association, the ETH Zürich and the KUL Sint-Lucas Brussels. He is recipient of the Maaskant Architecture Award for Young Architects (2004), the European Prize for Urban Public Space (2018, Skanderbeg Square) and numerous shortlist positions for the EU Mies van der Rohe Award. In 2012 he co-curated the Belgian Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennial (The Ambition of the Territory).

As an editor and writer Peter Swinnen is responsible for the books Double or Nothing (2011, Bedford Press), Reasons for Walling a House (2012, Ruby Press), Seven Memos for an Enlightened Building Culture (2012, Ed. Vlaams Bouwmeester) and René Heyvaert Architect/Artist (2019, MER). At the University of Luxemburg Master in Architecture he co-develops a future transboundary IBA program for the Esch-Belval region (France/Luxembourg), focusing on the political topicality of affordable living.