AUTONOMOUS ARCHITECTURE IN FLANDERS

The influence and position of the ''Generation 74'' in Flemish and international architecture.
Five well-known architects who studied together in Ghent, Marie-Jose Van Hee, Christian Kieckens, Marc Dubois, Paul Robbrecht and Hilde Daem, can be co
nsidered as leading protagonists of their generation. From their education at Sint-Lucas Institute and the Academy of Fine Arts to the present day, their professional careers and legacy have been of great importance to the development of Flemish arch
itecture. In their early works and writings, they established a distinct architectural language, rooted in historical knowledge and with a reflection to art and craftsmanship. Architecture was singled out as a spatial phenomenon with an autonomous lo
gic grounded in inhabitation and experience. This generation represents a significant turn towards architectural autonomy in Flanders which resonated with similar international developments in the late 1970s. Moreover they played a decisive role in t
he emancipation and professionalization of the architectural culture in Flanders.