MVSC04

In 2015 The Maarten Van Severen Foundation and the Department of Design of KASK / School of Arts Ghent decided to establish a chair with the aim of conveying the relevance and significance of Maarten Van Severen’s work for today’s designers. Every year a leading designer, whose work has an affinity with the work of Maarten Van Severen, will give a lecture and a masterclass. He or she will reflect on the common ground between their work and that of Maarten van Severen and on the qualities of his work in light of the current design culture. The first editions were in the hands of Erwan Bouroullec, Alfredo Häberli and Aldo Bakker.

Francesca Torzo was the chair holder for edition 2019. She gave a public lecture and a workshop for students, of which the results can be seen in the fourth MVS Cahier. Francesca Torzo (1975) is an Italian architect-maker; an architect who creates architecture in a sensory way. She studied architecture in Delft, Barcelona, Mendrisio and Venice [IUAV]. She worked for architect Peter Zumthor and Bosshard Vaquerarchitekten, Zurich. In 2008 she started her own architectural practice in Genoa. She designed and built – to name a Belgian project – the recent expansion and renovation of Z33 in Hasselt.

Design museum Gent is a structural partner of the Maarten Van Severen Chair. Collaborating schools: KASK / School of Arts Ghent, ENSAV – La Cambre, Design Academy Eindhoven, Aalto University, Universität der Künste Berlin, ECAL.