We felt and saw it once again this summer: the world is on fire. In Brussels, more than 200 people lost their lives this summer due to the heatwave. Yet no concrete action is being taken. How can we mobilise people? Can art play a role in this regard? And what about urban planning and architecture? What messages can raise awareness amongst everyone? Lisa De Visscher and Frank Theys will be here to discuss this.

Lisa De Visscher is the Chief Architect of Brussels and a leading figure in the Belgian and European architectural landscape. As a trilingual architect, engineer, researcher, critic and cultural professional, she consistently emphasises the social responsibility of architecture. Thanks to her many years of experience in teaching, research, publishing and professional practice, she brings a broad and nuanced perspective to the subject. In her policy statement as Chief Architect, she repeatedly refers to public space as the driving force behind a city’s resilience in the face of climate change.

Frank Theys is a filmmaker and visual artist. His experimental films, theatre pieces, video installations and documentaries have won various international awards and are held in the collections of, amongst others, the SMAK (Ghent) and the Museum for the Moving Image (New York). This autumn, he is curating the group exhibition ‘Ecostories’ at the VUB, a project by huisvandeMens Brussels and Pilar (25 November 2026 – 6 February 2027).

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