In the spring, the Flanders Institute for Architects issued a call for submissions to young architects and others in the field.

The question was simple yet challenging: How do architects view their profession, and what do they do in a world full of challenges? I applied for a residency to develop a project based on a research topic of my own choosing.

My proposal centered on loneliness in the city and how solitary figures—all of us—wander through our built environment. It’s a shame, but alas: congratulations to those who were selected! Below is a glimpse into the portfolio I exhibited as a photographer.

Chasing Shadows

In the city, I am always searching for her shadows. Layered fabric harbors a succession of refuges, where the passerby navigates between alcoves and porticoes. Always on the move, everyone gets lost in the belly of the urban landscape. Here, in the metropolis, the resident hides behind a mask—at least according to Simmel (Die Großstädte und das Geistesleben, 1903). No one ever reveals themselves fully, but offers what they have to give. It is precisely in the shadows that opportunities lie to unfold carefree. Fragile anonymity converges and also yields shared good. The collective emerges where the face cautiously reveals itself to the other.

On this stage, life unfolds day by day (A. Rossi - Scientific Autobiography, 1994) closeness and distance perform an eternal and intimate courtship dance. The space in between is crucial in this play. Boundaries coexist and define one another. Here, tolerance reigns supreme as the pinnacle and ideal. In the city, many things converge, yet everyone is on their own journey. In the city, we are one among many. Thus, together, yet often alone.

At the same time, I have also lost my heart in the mountains. As the direct opposite of the urban organism, vastness, unbridled forces, and silence can take root here. Majestic silhouettes watch over their surroundings with care. They offer a sense of security while also reigning inexorably. These gentle giants serve as anchor points and exert an inexplicable attraction on me. It is a scenography that truly gives scale to the human silhouette.

Wandering Souls

Although both worlds exist within their own boundaries, I can never view one separately from the other. In my view, they exist solely through the recognition of the other. These worlds flow seamlessly into one another. It is precisely these points of intersection that I am eager to capture on film. In these two worlds, and all the realms in between, I go in search of wandering souls.

In this series, I want to pay tribute to loneliness in the city. We will only be living with more and more of it, and yet the solitary figure prevails. That contradiction offers endless potential to study residents in their habitat, unguarded and unseen. It should yield an image of what surrounds us all, yet can never truly be fully observed.

I am convinced that there is something new to be learned in every place. Everywhere, small events have the potential to broaden someone’s world. A critical eye on the reality around us is the only thing that is indispensable for this (J. Berger - Ways of Seeing, 2008). Attentive observation takes on a new dimension by piercing through existing patterns and seeking to see things differently.

My photography dissects and captures the extraordinary and the familiar. With an extremely curious mindset, I explore my surroundings and try to establish connections that would otherwise remain subtly hidden.