The independent architecture magazine A+ explores contemporary practices through thematic dossiers, interviews and contributions from the field. BMA contributes to A+ twice a year by providing content drawn from our activities and the reflections they generate.
The articles are written within the BMA team, while the themes are defined by the editorial board of A+. Issue A+320, entitled “PRA+CTICE UNDER PRESSURE”, will be published on 30 November 2026. It focuses on the tensions currently shaping the profession: the growing number of regulations, economic pressure and increasingly fragile working conditions, social responsibilities, as well as the transformation of practice linked in particular to the emergence of artificial intelligence. In this context, the issue examines how a fairer, more resilient and future-oriented profession can be built through shared responsibility among institutions, educational programmes, clients and architects.
For this issue, BMA proposes a contribution based on our reading of the evolution of architectural practice in Belgium. Through design competitions, calls for expressions of interest and the support of public procurement processes, we observe that the growing constraints faced by architects (economic, regulatory, environmental or social) also contribute to the emergence of new ways of designing, collaborating and practising architecture.
The article aims to explore how Belgian architectural practice transforms certain structural limitations into drivers of innovation. The intention is not to glorify precariousness or to consider the sector’s difficulties as a desirable condition for creativity. Rather, the objective is to understand how, within a particularly constrained context, forms of practice emerge that are capable of renewing the architect’s tools, methods and responsibilities.
To support this reflection, we are launching a call for feedback and experiences from architectural offices and other actors in the sector.
The requested contribution is intentionally light and should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. The aim is to bring forward ideas, perceptions and concrete experiences from practice. As a public administration, we believe it is essential not to remain confined to observations, but to continue taking the pulse of the practices with which we work on a daily basis.
Two questions are proposed, but you are free to answer them partially, expand on them from other perspectives, or simply share an open reflection. Illustrations may also be included if desired.
The contributions will be analysed across themes, and certain information may be grouped together in order to identify broader trends. Should some elements require further clarification or development, we will contact their authors.
The objective is to bring together different perspectives in order to better understand the transformations currently taking place and to foster a collective reflection on the present conditions of architectural practice. Beyond identifying challenges, the ambition is to generate avenues for reflection and action, both for practitioners and institutions, in order to support the evolution of the profession in response to contemporary challenges.