Between 2010 and 2014, Mercedes Volait (INHA, Paris) and Johan Lagae (UGent) ran a European-funded COST-action project (IS0904) entitled 'European Architecture beyond Europe: Sharing Research and Knowledge on Dissemination Processes, Historical Data and Material Legacy (19th–20th centuries)'. The focus of this project was not only on colonial architecture but also on the built environment resulting from migration flows or the production linked to transnational networks of expertise.

The project allowed the creation of an international community of scholars from more than 15 European countries and partner countries, such as Australia, Argentina, Algeria and Israel. In addition to an annual conference, various thematic workshops and two training schools, the project further more facilitated the international mobility of young scholars. The COST action also resulted in the ABE Journal, an online, open-access periodical that was recently accepted for inclusion in revues.org.