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Amongst the joys of an architect’s life is the site visit of a new project. The thrilling “What are we getting ourselves into?” moment. Impressions are a mixed bag but more often than not, they turn out to be surprisingly inspiring, for better or worse. Upon a recent visit to an old Brussels house, that was transformed and expanded into office space, we stumbled upon some remarkable details that begged for sharing and discussion.It wasn't clear whether we agreed or fully grasped the reasoning behind every aspect of the intervention. Yet, it stirred some questions and reflections about the clash of two generations, forced to cohabitate, and left us pondering if the gentleman in the painting is comfortable with his current “mise-en-scene”.

It takes time and love and a considerable amount of patience to make a model. It involves meticulous attention to detail holding your breath while gluing dozens of tiny figures, fitting “glass walls” and “planting trees”. In the rush and urgency of today, model-making may appear outdated, naive, and overly idealistic. Yet, some of us continue this pursuit. For many, the process of crafting and constructing, even on a miniature scale, morphs into a form of meditation. It’s not screen time - my hands bring my ideas to life. Each stroke and cut is made with a mindset of material conservation and caution to errors, training us to use resources wisely, as if we couldn't instantly undo, correct or effortlessly edit. Sort of like in life.