Lucas Devolder
Common dogs Common grounds
Our landscape is highly fragmented. The signs in all shapes and sizes that tell you what you can't do, make it clear that you don't belong there and insinuate what might happen if you don't behave, are a prime example of this. Some signs are so admirable that you would want to frame them... Often, you learn something about the owners, such as their favourite breed of dog, whether they are creative, whether they communicate via WhatsApp and what kind of car they drive.
On the other hand, you have the neighbourhood roads and the idea of the commons. These areas, which are collectively managed and used by a community, have a very specific landscape character. It is a cultural landscape with a focus on nature, where commoners can use a wide variety of species. You can walk your dog, graze your sheep, gather wood, have a picnic and organise raves, provided you take the ecosystem and the (un)written rules into account.
For his research at Veldwerk, Lucas Devolder wants to delve deeper into the Flemish history of common land and see where and how it still exists. Can we revive this culture locally and then open it up to contemporary needs? How would you do that? Could signage culture play a role in this?
BIO
Lucas Devolder (born 1993, Belgium) grew up in a world of architecture. His fascination with design, technology, movement and hacking has driven him since childhood to interact with his environment in a playful and direct way. During his architecture studies at Sint-Lucas, he discovered the potential of children's open-mindedness to tackle complex problems as 'grown-ups'. Since then, he has been searching for the margins and trying to create leeway to make room for that open-mindedness. For him, the essence of architecture is giving people the space to do what makes them happy. He is currently getting his hands dirty for the collectives ConstructLab, Lieve Zusjes Stoere Broers and Wildebras, where he takes on roles ranging from expedition guide to flying plumber.
