evr-architecten is a practice for sustainable architecture and urban planning. The office is based in Ghent and operates in both the private and public sectors. The firm was founded by Luc Eeckhout, Jan Van Den Broeke and Luc Reuse and is today led by partners Manu Heytens, Bart Verstappen and Niels Baeck. The architecture firm has been active in the Belgian architecture field for over twenty years, and currently has about forty employees, architects, engineer-architects, urban designers, interior designers and graphic designers.
evr-architecten is a pioneer in the field of passive and integral sustainable construction. In addition to a strong technical know-how, the projects reveal a strong social and cultural commitment. The firm is also active in various research programmes on integral broad sustainability and circular construction.
Niels graduated as an engineering architect from UGent in 2010. After several internships during his studies, Niels Baeck started his career at 1010 Architecture Urbanism. Here, he worked independently on various master plans, public spaces and architectural projects. Since early 2012, Niels has been working as a project manager at evr-architecten, where on the one hand he works on the realisation of sustainable architecture and on the other hand he also works on the application and integration of sustainable concepts on an urban planning scale. The common thread in his work is a strong fascination for the potential of the public, be it public space or buildings. This begins from the programme of requirements to implementation. Since autumn 2022, he has been a lecturer at the University of Ghent. In 2018, he became a partner at evr-architecten.
Manu graduated as an architect engineer at the UGent in 2004. After his studies at the UGent, Manu started working as an engineer stability at Babel - Ingenieurscollectief in Ghent in 2004. In 2007, he joined the team of evr-architecten, first as associate, then as project architect and project leader. As project leader, he went through the entire architectural trajectory for several large projects (Rinkkaai Ghent, iGent Zwijnaarde, Quantum Building Ghent): from the programme phase (including the translation of the many complex requirements) to the various design phases, the permit application, the drawing up of the tender dossier and the final follow-up of the works. On other projects, including Zuiderzicht Antwerp and Koninklijk Atheneum Zottegem, he worked as a technical designer (design and implementation dossier). Other projects (including several complex renovations) within evr-architecten prove his experience with complex projects, including also his extensive construction site experience - as an essential part of his career. In 2018, Manu became a partner at evr-architecten.
Bart graduated as an engineer architect from UGent in 2006 and obtained a degree in project management from Luca School of Arts in Ghent and Brussels. Bart has been building his career in sustainable and circular construction within evr-architecten since 2006, both on a theoretical basis and within physical building practice. An important project for him was the remediation, rezoning and landscaping of the former textile site De Ververij in Ronse. Today he is the project leader for the Usquare project, De Watergroep and ACV- CSC Metea projects all with a high sustainable and circular ambition. He has also worked on the development of a sustainability tool on neighbourhood level. Within evr- architecten and evr-research, he continues to work on acquiring expertise within the field of sustainable development. In 2018, Bart became a partner at evr-architecten.
