42
Govaert & Vanhoutte
Architects
Transcendence
in sobriety,
tranquility and the
mathematical.
Less and nothing more. This is the basic
principle of every architectural project
at Govaert & Vanhoutte. We believe that
when something is unnecessarily com-
plicated, it misses the mark. When you
can achieve the same effect with less,
then everything is better. As an architect,
I strive for a pure experience without too
many extra frills or visual distractions. Our
philosophy of pursuing the abstract in
order to preserve authenticity is strongly
influenced by the Russian artist Malevich,
the founder of suprematism. He created
with simple shapes and surfaces that
stemmed out of elevated experiences.
Observers of his art might ask them-
selves, “Why is that cross slightly tilted?
Why are the surfaces slightly different in
size?” This is very much in line with the
path we want to take. We also play with
lines, surfaces and volumes. Creating an
abstractionist experience, and having
an eye for details without losing yourself
in them, is an exercise that we put at the
heart of every project.
In our opinion, a transcendent experience
can be achieved with sobriety, tran-
quility and the mathematical. In ancient
Japanese architecture, experience was
elicited on the basis of mathematical
proportions. The KEN unit is a unit of
measurement that was used, and is still
used, for example, to determine the right
distance between pillars in palaces. The
Japanese influences can still be found in
contemporary architecture today. It helps
us to create repetition in space which in
