Gijs Van Vaerenbergh

Bio

Gijs Van Vaerenbergh is a collaborative practice that started in 2007 and is based in Leuven, Belgium. Pieterjan Gijs and Arnout Van Vaerenbergh became acquainted during their studies in architecture. Ever since, they have been developing a practice that wanders in the liminal spaces of the architectural discipline. The practice produces work in a range of scales, from urban installations, monuments and scenographies to objects.

Their work is characterized by its resistance to disciplinary categorization. They combine technical and theoretical knowledge of architecture with an attitude of profound experimentation. The work consistently engages with the realm of visual arts. It is architectural, but often also monumental, sculptural and autonomous. Nevertheless, it seeks this friction from within the discipline and practice of architecture. As the work is primarily spatial, the relation to the viewer is key. The experience of the work, including how it interacts with its environment, is central to most of the pieces.

Gijs Van Vaerenbergh explicitly breach the conventions of the disciplines they interact with. Artistic strategies are appropriated to infuse architecture with diverse registers and to destabilize the programmatic and utilitarian aspects of architecture.

Arnout Van Vaerenbergh (left) and Pieterjan Gijs (right) - photo Damon De Backer

Team

Pieterjan Gijs
Arnout Van Vaerenbergh
Louise Beerts
Arianna Sebastiani
Lauren Vangilbergen

CV

PERMANENT INSTALLATIONS

• Wandering Garden, Leuven, ongoing
• Colonnade, Brugge (BE), 2021
• Waterline Monument, Utrecht (NL), 2021
• Halo, Sint-Odolphuskerk, Borgloon (BE), 2020
• Study for a Windmill, Dilbeek (BE), 2019
• A Giant Sculpture, Kasterlee (BE), 2018
• Arcade, Kruibeke (BE), 2017 
• Labyrinth, C-mine, Genk (BE), 2015
• Reading Between the Lines, Borgloon (BE), 2011

TEMPORARY INSTALLATIONS

• Shelter, Ijsselbiënnale 2023, Deventer (NL), 2023
• Tabernacle, Watou 2021, Watou (BE), 2021
• Grotto, Palace of the Academies, Brussels (BE), 2019
• Bridge, Brussel (BE), 2014
• Framework, Leuven (BE), 2012  
• Skylight, Leuven (BE), 2012
• The Upside Dome, Leuven (BE), 2010
• Spin Off, Brussels (BE), 2009
• Greenhouse Intersect, Ithaka Art Festival, Leuven (BE), 2008

LANDSCAPE & PUBLIC SPACE 

• Canal Belvédères, two public spaces along the canal, Brussels (BE), ongoing 
• Forrest Tracks, Hasselt University Campus, Diepenbeek (BE), ongoing
• Island Garden, Meise Botanic Garden, Meise (BE), 2022

ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR 

• Winecellar, Leuven (BE), 2022
• Nightshop, Brussels (BE), 2021
• Coffee Corner, Schorvoort Service Center, Turnhout (BE), 2019
• Six Vaults, Hooglede (BE), 2017
• Corner House, Grobbendonk (BE), 2017
• Mok Coffeebar, Brussels (BE), 2017

SCENOGRAPHY

• Blood Wedding, Wim Vandekeybus / International Theatre Amsterdam, 2023
• TrapTown, Wim Vandekeybus / Ultima Vez, 2018

ARTWORKS

• Portrait of M.C. Escher, wood, 120x149x146cm, 2023
• Two Curved Mirrors, aluminium, polished stainless steel, 527x417x295cm, 2023
• Bas Reliëf V (Day & Night), aluminium, 140x100x15,5cm, 2023
• Endless Staircase, painted steel, 150x150x395cm, 2023
• Village Portrait, steel wire, 130x130x65cm, 2023
• Bas Reliëf IV (rain), steel, cupper wire, 140x100x12.5cm, 2023
• Wandering Garden (model 1/20), painted galvanized steel, 220x220x25cm, 2023
• Inverse Ruïn (model 1/33), foam, steel, acrylic paint, 123x63x46cm, 2022
• Stacked Tower (model 1/50), aluminium, 40x40x121cm, 2022
• Grotto (model 1/25), limestone, acrylic paint, 38x38x25cm, 2022
• Six Vaults (model 1/20), gypsum, 38x38x19cm, 2022
• Wandering Garden (model 1/33), painted galvanized steel, 110x110x15,5cm, 2022
• Bas Relief I (Chaos), steel, 120x89x15cm, 2022
• Bas Relief II (Forest), steel, 70x50 x10,5cm, 2022
• Bas Relief III (Rain), steel, 50x35,5x11cm, 2022
• Colonnade (photo by Johnny Umans), dibond print in steel frame, 150x100x10cm, 2022
• Six Vaults (photo Filip Dujardin), dibond print in steel frame, 150x100x10cm, 2022
• Labyrinth (photo Johnny Umans), dibond print in steel frame, 150x100x10cm, 2022
• Fence, plasticized steel wire, dimensions variable, 2022
• Curtain Wall, felt, dimensions variable, 2022 
• Creeper, barbed wire, dimensions variable, 2022
• Colonnade (model 1/50), gypsum, 20x20x10cm, 2021
• Cabinet /, painted steel, 220x60x91cm, 2020
• Cabinet O, painted steel, 120x40x210 cm, 2020
• Study for a Windmill (model 1/20), steel wire, 52x40x23cm, 2018 
• Rebar Mesh Cut-out, steel, 130x180cm, 2018 
• Rebar for a Column, steel, 60x60x350cm, 2018
• Rebar for a Drape Sculpture, steel, 160x50x300 cm, 2018
• Rebar for a Flag Sculpture, steel, 250x50x600 cm, 2018
• Rebar Coil, steel, 120x320x320cm, 2018 
• Lighthouse (model 1/50), steel, 40x40x131cm, 2018
• Three Circles Intersect I & II, polished stainless steel, 2018
• Mirror series (I-XIV), polished stainless steel, dimensions variable, 2016-2022
• Endless lamp, dibond mirror, aluminium, light bulb, rubber wire, 60x60x95cm, 2016
• Ellipse Intersect, steel, 215x275x315cm, 2016
• Socle Section, concrete, 50x50x105 cm, 2016
• Three-quarter Ring in Compression, brick, mortar, stainless steel, 20x80x75cm, 2016
• Torqued Steel Cage, steel, 235x235x60cm, 2016
• Labyrinth (model 1/33), steel, 114x114x15cm, 2016 
• Reading Between the Lines (model 1/10), 86x86x150cm, 2016 
• Model House (model 1/10), foam, alumnium, wood, acryclic paint, 140x120x160cm, 2013
• Retroactief Monument (model 1/10), concrete, steel, 200x200x190cm, 2013

CURATORIAL PROJECTS

• Horst Arts & Music Festival, Holsbeek (BE), 5 editions from 2014-2018
• Pamflet, KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture, Ghent & Brussels (BE), 2017

EDUCATION & WORKSHOPS

• Atlas of Proposals III: (Con)temporary Townhall, KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture, 2023-2024
• Patio Pavilions II, YAC Academy, Bologna (IT), 9 january 2023
• Atlas of Proposals II: Statues Revisited, KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture, 2022-2023
• Atlas of Proposals I: Silent City, KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture, 2021-2022
• Patio Pavilion I, YAC Academy, Bologna (IT), 18 january 2022
• In Situ: Kolveniershof transformation, KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture, 2020-2021
• In Situ: Inflatable, KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture, BAC ART LAB, Leuven, 2019-2020
• In Situ: Line Drawing, KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture, BAC ART LAB, Leuven, 2018-2019
• In Situ: Final Stage, Horst Arts & Music festival, KU Leuven Faculty of Architecture, Holsbeek (BE), 2017-2018
• Hatching, Existenz Maximum  (KU Leuven), De Bottelarij, Leuven, 2012

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

• Escher – Other World (duo show), Kunstmuseum, Den Haag (NL), 2023
• Wandering, Gallery Valerie Traan, Antwerp (BE), 2022
• Unveiled, CC Gasthuis, Aarschot (BE), 2020
• Rethink, Redraw, Rebar, Gallery Valerie Traan, Antwerp (BE), 2018      
• Sections, Gallery Valerie Traan, Antwerp (BE), 2016    
• Retroactive Monument, Bank van de arbeid, Ghent (BE), 2013 
• Jonge Makers Denkers Dromers, DeSingel, Antwerp (BE), 2012           

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

• Net als Escher, Escher in het Paleis, Den Haag (NL), 2023
• Ground-Notes, IJssel Biennial 2023, Deventer (NL), 2023
• Brick, Kunsthal KAdE, Amersfoort (NL), 2022
• Een zee van tijd, Villa Les Zéphyrs, Middelkerke (BE), 2022
• Watou 2021, Poperinge (BE), 2021
• TraumA, Bruges Triennal 2021, Bruges (BE), 2021
• Small Sculptures, Gallery Michel Rein, Brussels (BE), 2021
• Collectible, Gallery Valerie Traan, Brussels (BE), 2020
• Bruegel's Eye: Reconstructing the Landscape, Dilbeek (BE), 2019
• Out of the Box, LOMAK, Tessenderlo (BE), 2019          
• 100 experiments, Aedes gallery, Berlin(DE), 2019
• Architects at Play, CIVA, Brussels (BE), 2019
• Operational Aesthetics, CIVA, Brussels (BE), 2018
• Art Brussels, Gallery Valerie Traan, Brussels (BE), 2017
• Tussen muren, Kunstacademie Tielt, Tielt (BE), 2017
• Bravoure, Belgian Pavilion Giardini, Venice Architecture Biennale, Venice (IT), 2016
• Imagine Europe, Bozar, Brussels (BE), 2016
• Atelier à Habiter, Z33 House for Contemporary Art, Hasselt (BE), 2013
• Dag van de architectuur, Batiment A, Leuven (BE), 2013
• Pit, Art in Public Space, Borgloon-Heers (BE), 2011
• Amphi-bios, Ithaka 16, Leuven (BE), 2008

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

• Shelter, in: Ijsselbiënnale 2023 (catalogus), Mieke Conijn e.a., Deventer (NL), 2023
• Eilandtuin Meise, Veronique Patteeuw, in: A+, nr 302, 2023
• Het oneindige spel, Eline Dehullu, in: A+, nr 301, 2023
• Wandering (exhibition catalogue), Stefaan Vervoort & Els Wuyts, Gallery Valerie Traan, Antwerp (BE), 2022
• Model House, in: Brick  (catalogus), Lara Stolwerk e.a., Kunsthal KAdE, Amersfoort (NL), 2022
• 111 Inception, Anna Bates, Jap Sam Books, Prinsenbeek (NL), 2022
• The Art of Gijs Van Vaerenbergh, in: Ruminate Magazine, winter 2021-2022
• Interview door Jonas Mortier in: De Morgen, 15 oktober 2022
• Interview door Geert Van Der Speeten in: De Standaard, 8 mei 2022
• Waterline Monument, in: AW Magazine, nr 146, September 2022
• Les folies de Gijs Van Vaerenbergh, in L’Architecture d’Aujourd’hui, nr 451, October 2022
• Hidden Qualities, Anna Moldenhauer, in: Stylepark Magazine, March 2022
• Colonnade, in: TraumA. Triënnale Brugge, Till-Holger Borchert e.a., Stichting Kunstboek, Oostkamp (BE), 2021
• Interview in: Anna McNay, in: Studio International, 5 October 2021
• A Giant Sculpture, in: ARCA international, 25 January 2021
• Attempt to draw a perfect circle, in: Overlap, The No man’s land between Art & Science, Ann Bessemans e.a., The Young Academy of Belgium & Komma, Den Haag (NL), 2020
• La arquitectura que no quiere ser arquitectura, Cecilia Cameo, in: Room Diseno, nr 28, 22 September 2020
• Belgian inspiration: progressive Flemish architecture, Kruh Texts on architecture, Prague (CZ), 2019
• 5 years Horst, Gijs Van Vaerenbergh, in: Horst 2014-2018, Onkruid, 2019
• Gijs Van Vaerenbergh: on architectural ‘misuse’, Lili Zarzycki, in: Architectural Review, 30 August 2018
• Wie koopt dat?, Thijs Demeulemeester, in: Sabato, April 2018
• Corner House, L’Architecture d’Aujourd’hui, June 2018
• Cross Section, Architecture Monogram #1, Gijs Van Vaerenbergh, Cathelijne Nuijsink (red.), Ruby Press, Berlin (DE), 2017 
• Labyrint. Experimenteel doolhof op voormalige mijnsite, Architrave, nr 191, februari 2017
• Interview in: Bravoure. Scarcity. Beauty., Exhibition catalogue, Belgian Pavilion, Venice Architecture Biennale, 2016 
• Framework, in: Urban Landscape Sculpture I, Guangxi University Press (CN), 2015
• Labyrinth, AV projectos, nr. 71, Madrid (ES), 2015
• Mining the Maze, in: Frame, nr 107, Frame publishers, Amsterdam, November 2015
• Reading between the Lines, Summa, nr.138, Buenos Aires (AG), September 2014
• Reading between the Lines, in: Architecture now volume 9, Philip Jodidio, Taschen, 2013
• Wereldtentoonstelling 2013. Een retroactief monument, Rika Devos en Katrien Vandermarliere, in: Impact. Wereldtentoonstelling Gent 1913, Stad Gent, 2013
• Reading Between the Lines, in: Architect, Magazine of the American Institute of Architects, October 2012 
• Gijs Van Vaerenbergh, in: A+U, nr 497, Tokyo (JP), February 2012
• En dom in Kjedor, Jonna Flordal, in: RUM International, nr.12, 2011 
• Collective Memory, Ralf F. Broekman And Olaf Winkler, in: Build - Das Architekten Magazin, nr 6/2011 

DOCUMENTARY

• Canvasconnectie Gijs Van Vaerenbergh, Canvas, mei 2016
• Culture Club Gijs Van Vaerenbergh, Canvas online, februari 2018

SELECTED LECTURES 

• Kunst in/en architectuur, NAV, Ghent, Antwerp & Genk (BE), 2021
• Journée d’étude Fabrique de jardins, Journée d’étude, Centre International pour la Ville,  l'Architecture et le Paysage, Brussels (BE), 9 October 2020
• Buitenruimte van Betekenis, Faculteit Bouwkunde, TU Delft, Delft (NL), 30 October 2019
• Color, Space & Time, Visual Science of Art Conference (VSAC), Museum M, Leuven (BE), 24 August 2019
• Belgická architektonická inspirace: MSA + Gijs Van Vaerenbergh, CAMP, Prague (CZ), 7 March 2019
• Europe Super Session, RIBA, British Pavilion, Venice Architecture Biennale, Venice (IT), 25 May 2018
• Europa Talk: France - Belgium, Royal Institute of British Architects, Londen (UK), 23 January 2018
• Lecture Academie van de Bouwkunst, Maastricht (NL), 12 October 2017
• Encounters in Optimism, Venice Architecture Biennale, Venice (BE), 26 August 2016
• Gijs Van Vaerenbergh - De Vylder Vinck Taillieu, KAP Forum, Köln, 24 March 2016
• Lecture for Archipel vzw, Ghent (BE), 26 September 2015
• Gijs Van Vaerenbergh - Util Struktuurstudies, Architecnics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 27 April 2015
• Across, A+ Architecture in Belgium, Liège (BE), 16 March 2015
• Talks about Architecture, Rotterdam, 20 March 2014
• TEDx Eutropolis, Muziekodroom Hasselt (BE), 4 February 2012 
• Pecha Kucha Vol.11, Ghent (BE), 13 October 2011

AWARDS

• Infosteel Steel Building Award, category specific elements in steel, 2020, for A Giant Sculpture
• Ultima, Flemish Culture Prize, category Design, 2018 
• Archdaily building of the year, category religious architecture, 2012, with Reading between the Lines
  

Jobs

There are currently no full time vacancies.

We have an open position for a short term internship. If you are interested, send us an email with cv and portfolio (under 10mb in total) to info@gijsvanvaerenbergh.com. We will respond to those selected for an interview.