LUCA Announces ‘Soft Power’ Exhibition on Brussels Building Culture

The Luxembourg Centre for Architecture (LUCA) has announced the opening of the exhibition “Soft Power: The Brussels Way of Making the City”, running from Friday 27 February to Saturday 6 June 2026 at its premises in Luxembourg-Clausen.

According to LUCA, the exhibition is presented in collaboration with the Swiss Architecture Museum (S AM) in Basel and explores how Brussels has become an internationally recognised hotspot for contemporary architecture and urban planning. The show examines the framework conditions that have fostered high-quality building culture in the Belgian capital and supported a new generation of architects in shaping urban development.

A central focus of the exhibition is the role of the Bouwmeester Maître Architecte (BMA), an advisory institution established in Brussels in 2009. Through competitions and other tools, the BMA has contributed to opening architectural and urban planning markets in a transparent manner, aiming to improve project quality and strengthen urban cohesion. LUCA noted that the exhibition invites reflection on whether similar instruments could be further developed in Luxembourg to support ambitious architectural policy and ensure long-term urban quality.

The exhibition is curated by Roxane Le Grelle and Andreas Kofler, with scenography by Aslı Çiçek. In Luxembourg, it is organised by LUCA in cooperation with the BMA and with the support of the Brussels-Capital Region. It features projects by numerous architectural practices active in Belgium and beyond.

It also traces the evolution of the Bouwmeester model in Belgium, first introduced in Flanders in 1999 and later adopted in Antwerp, Brussels, Charleroi and Ghent. In Brussels, Kristiaan Borret served two mandates as Bouwmeester Maître Architecte until late 2024. Following a transitional period, Lisa De Visscher was appointed as the new Bouwmeester Maître Architecte of the Brussels-Capital Region in 2025.

Entry to the exhibition is free. Opening hours are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 12:00 to 18:00, Wednesday from 12:00 to 19:00 and Saturday from 14:00 to 18:00. Guided tours for groups of at least five people are available upon request (€80).

LUCA is also offering public guided tours of the exhibition in German, English and French on Thursday 26 March, Saturday 25 April and Wednesday 20 May 2026. Participation is free but requires prior registration as places are limited.

Moreover, LUCA will host a series of workshops for adults and children, entitled “Re-BOX! Transform – don’t build”, on Thursday 26 March, Saturday 25 April and Thursday 21 May 2026 from 15:00 to 16:00. The workshops will be held in German/Luxembourgish, English and French. Participation costs €5 (free with Kulturpass) and registration is required due to limited capacity.

Further details about the exhibition are available via LUCA’s website.