MORGEN architecture, design atelier for Building and Landscape , is a design atelier that operates within broad contexts and divers levels of scale. It is our profound wish to engage ourselves in taking on the care for the built as well as the non built area that surrounds us. We focus equally on what can or should be built as on what cannot or should not be built.

Because we operate as a design team, we aim for a strong integration of different fields of design in one assignment. Every architectural assignment should address a larger context and every assignment of urban planning tumbles down at the architectural dimension. Buildings never stand alone, neither do landscapes. All designs of MORGEN architecture try to address this broad landscaping and direct urban context as well as the specific program of requirements and its technical demands. In this process, we try to see through the stratification of the spot by searching points of reference in the historical context, in the natural or built environment and by trying to consider the actual spatial and functional reach of that specific spot. Furthermore, from the initial starting point of the process, we consider the wishes of users, the available budget and the feasibility of our propositions. We have a long experience in building practice, which offers us a profound knowledge in how things are built. That is why we aim for a sober approach in every design assignment, with a reoccurring endeavour to realise contemporary detailing. We try to do so with poetic and visionary thinking. Quality is found in researching limits, followed by finding nuances and enclosing possibilities.

Spatial experience must take the lead in every design. Furthermore, every space, every building is designed for people, people who meat each other, who live or work, … Depending on the context, every project or plan has its own atmosphere, its appropriate scale, its specific materialisation, … These kind of spatiality arises throughout modulating mass as well as voids.

The correct ‘tone’ of a project is not only the result of a well-balanced design. A good process is equally important. A good project demands an intense and profound debate with the client and other involved parties. Giving answers follows listening as a first action. After having listened carefully, we aim for projects that can enthuse people and projects that are financially achievable.

We work with an integrated design methodology. From the first conceptual thoughts of a project, we gather with a team of experts (architects, engineers, urban planners, landscapers, …). By doing so, dimensioning structures and technical installations, controlling budget and building logics, are embedded during the entire design process.

The design atelier is lead by architect – owner Fille Hanjoul, accompanied by several other architects within the firm and some extra specialist whenever a specific item in a project demands it.
Fille Hanjoul (°1974)
graduated from the Henry Van de Velde Institute in Antwerp in 1997. After a period of 14 years working for the office Poponcini & Lootens, from internship and project architect to team leader, he became in 2011 a partner in ‘Planners architects company for landscape, urban planning and architecture’, Antwerp. In 2013 architects and co-founders Ief De Schepper and Jo Meers decided to stop their architectural activities and co-founders Els Nulens and Peggy Totté continued the urban planning projects in their company ‘Blauwdruk Urban Planning’. Fille Hanjoul continued the architectural projects in the office Planners, and changed the name of the company to ‘MORGEN architecture, design atelier for landscape and building’. During his career, he carried out a diverse range of projects, from small private projects to bigger (social) housing projects, schools, office buildings, university buildings, cultural centres etc. Since 2007 he is a tutor in the Faculty of Design Sciences (department of architecture) of the University of Antwerp. He teaches in the master studio ISTT (International Studies, Territories in Transition) where spatial transition phenomena and changing living and building cultures are studied is places as Egypt (Cairo, Luxor, Aswan), Morocco (Casablanca) and Surinam (Paramaribo). He is the author of the research report ‘GEN2, Generosity and the Generic’, that supports the themes of the ISTT studio.

Seppe Raes (°1987)
graduated from the University College for Sciences and Arts, ‘Sint Lucas Brussels’, in 2010. He completed his internship for ‘Planners architects company for landscape, urban planning and architecture’. Nowadays he is working for MORGEN architecture as project architect for e.g. a passive school ‘Berenschool’ in Berendrecht, the reconversion of the cultural centre ‘Ter Dilft’ in Bornem and elderly housing ‘Oase’ in Aarschot.

Vincent Caluwé (°1989)
graduated from the Artesis University College Antwerp, department Design Sciences: Architecture in 2013. He was selected for the students competition ‘meesterproef 2013-14’ and received a honourable mention from the jury of the ‘VRP graduation price’ for the research he did in the neighbourhood Frimangron (Paramaribo, Surinam) for the studio ISTT. Since 2013 he works for MORGEN architecture.

Valérie Van de Velde (°1988)
graduated from the Artesis University College Antwerp, department Design Sciences: Architecture in 2011. She was selected for the students competition ‘meesterproef 2011-12’ and conducted research at the Berlage Institute Rotterdam in 2011-2012. Since September 2012 she’s working for Atelier Kempe Thill, Rotterdam and is since 2013 freelancer at MORGEN architecture.