British architectural photographer Marc Goodwin has completed an extensive documentation project capturing the interior workspaces of 14 architecture studios across Belgium. The collection represents the latest installment in an ongoing global series by Goodwin, who founded the photography studio Archmospheres and specializes in documenting architecture offices worldwide.
The featured studios span multiple Belgian cities and include prominent firms such as Antwerp-based Studio Okami, Ghent-based Oyo, and Brussels-based Brut Architecture and Urban Design. During his documentation process, Goodwin observed notable differences between the architectural studio environments in Belgium's capital city Brussels compared to other regions throughout the country.
"I was struck by the sharp contrast between Brussels and the rest of the country – both in atmosphere and vibes," Goodwin explained in his observations about the project. This contrast became one of the defining characteristics he noticed while photographing the various studio spaces across different Belgian locations.
Beyond regional differences, Goodwin identified broader international trends emerging in architectural workspace design. He noted a "global shift" toward adaptive reuse approaches, which he has consistently observed not only in these Belgian studios but also in previous documentation series he conducted in Portugal and Taiwan. "The last series was in Portugal, which of course has a very different context and character," Goodwin stated. "Yet there's a strong connection: everywhere I go, I see studios embracing adaptive reuse and transformation."
The photographer emphasized the significance of this worldwide trend, describing it as "one of the most inspiring and encouraging things to witness." This approach reflects how architecture firms are increasingly choosing to transform existing structures rather than occupy new buildings, demonstrating a commitment to sustainable and creative workspace solutions.
The 14 documented studios showcase remarkable diversity in scale, history, and current usage. B-Architecten, which has occupied its factory-converted space since 2001, houses 60 staff members across 1,200 square meters. In contrast, Studio Okami operates with just 2 staff members in a 150-square-meter residential conversion they've occupied since 2019. Stand Van Zaken transformed a former horticulture facility into their 1,000-square-meter workspace in 2019, accommodating 5 staff members.
Several studios demonstrate the adaptive reuse trend Goodwin highlighted. ISM Architecten converted a factory space into their 100-square-meter office in 2010, while Robbrecht en Daem Architecten transformed a storage facility into their 1,320-square-meter workspace in 2007. Binst Architects similarly repurposed a storage facility, creating a 1,056-square-meter office space for 60 staff members beginning in 2018.
The collection also reveals the variety of building types being transformed into architectural workspaces. Felt Architecture & Design converted a former workshop into their 120-square-meter office in 2014, while Bruno Spaas Architectuur transformed a commercial space into their 210-square-meter studio in 2019. Polo Platform maintains two locations, with their Antwerp office occupying a converted office building since 1996 and their Brussels location housed in a former storage facility since 2016.
This documentation project continues Goodwin's mission to capture the working environments of architectural practices globally, providing insight into how design professionals create and inhabit their creative spaces. The Belgian series adds to his growing archive of international architecture studio interiors, contributing to a broader understanding of contemporary architectural workplace trends and the ongoing transformation of existing buildings into dynamic creative environments.
