Architecture (de)mobilised : (digital) explorations of the Belgian (post-)military construction site

Doctoral dissertation Willem Bekers

This doctoral research, positioned at the intersection of construction history and digital (architectural) humanities, challenges the prevailing historiographical focus on the modern movement within architectural narratives of military conflict. These narratives often centre on individual biographies of avant-garde architects conscripted into military service, suggesting that exposure to military efficiency shaped their post-war practices. By introducing military institutions as active participants in construction, alongside the often-overlooked contributions of war veterans, this research offers a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of construction in the context of conflict. It also critiques the overemphasis on efficiency in military construction.

Throughout the research, a second, methodological argument is developed regarding the potential of digital research tools within the field of architectural history. This toolkit, derived from the digital humanities, is further refined and strategically employed to provide targeted support for the historical questions under investigation, and enhance the depth and scope of analysis in architectural and construction history. The research demonstrates that detailed, "forensic" digital models can be much more than mere repositories of historical data and evidence. With sufficient substantiation, they can also serve as a basis for developing and visualising more layered historical narratives of construction processes.

Project Info

Research group: Theory and History of Architecture  and Digital Design
Start Date: from 01-02-2016 to 26-09-2024
Researchers: Willem Bekers
Academic supervisors: Johan Lagae, Ronald De Meyer and Emiel De Kooning