ARCHITECTOUR WITH MWORKS

The Belgian designer duo present their favourite buildings in Brussels

FEATURE | 17 April 2022

Text & Pictures: MWORKS
Intro: Celine Lika

When designing their pieces, Belgian designers Mansour Badjoko and Martin Liesnard are strongly influenced by architecture. Particularly Brussels, the city they’re based in, is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for the duo. They show us around their city, guiding us from one fascinating building to the next.  

SHOP MWORKS AT THE WASTED HOUR

MWORKS has a very strong connection to architecture: To us, clothes are architecture for the body. Purpose and function are what is driving our approach to garments. Architecture is therefore at the very core of our brand.

When it comes to architecture, Brussels can be such an inspiring city because it’s a juxtaposition of a lot of different architectural styles – sometimes without any reason from an urban planning point of view. We’re lucky to be exposed to such chaotic diversity: many different stylistic choices, finishes, proportions, and colours.

We see buildings as abstract yet functional pieces of art that you’re able to enter and explore.

For our Spring/Summer collection, called ‘Building’, we created an imaginary building combining Modernist and Brutalist influences. The architecture in Brussels inspired us.

Former Royale Belge Headquarters

A beautiful and massive building on stilts, which is built over an artificial lake and surrounded by a dense forest. We love that the building looks so alien and a bit out of place compared to the natural setting.

Architects: René Stapels, Pierre Dufau
Boulevard du Souverain 25, 1170 Brussels

Former Royale Belge Headquarters

Former Royale Belge Headquarters

Signe de Lumière

Jacques Moeschal, the creator of this building, was both an architect and a sculptor. There are a lot of his sculptures next to motorways, looking almost like totems. The strong lines and geometric shapes in Moeschal’s work inspired us when we were designing our brand logo, which is printed on our MWORKS Maxi Logo Sweatshirt.

Architect: Jacques Moeschal
Porte de Namur R20, 1000 Brussels

Signe de Lumière

Former CBR Headquarters

Possibly the most poetic building of our selection. Completely unique and striking, we love the strong contrast of the oval copper glass with the white cement. The massive and simple shape of the building interspersed with soft oval shapes – elegant and timeless. Its aesthetic, and its architecture approach, has been an inspiration when designing and reinterpreting our new shirt, our Hooded Shirt. The large hood recalls the oval shape of the windows.

Architects: Constantin Brodzki, Marcel Lambrichs
Chaussée de la Hulpe 185, 1170 Brussels

Former CBR Headquarters

Residence Le Pesage

We couldn’t do an architecTour without including the shooting location for our Spring/Summer 2021 collection. We love this modernist building for its pillars and fascinating proportions.

Architect: René Stapels
Avenue d’Italie 43, 1050 Brussels

Residence Le Pesage

Former Banque Lambert Headquarters

Located near the Royal Palace of Brussels, this both functional and elegant building used to have a huge penthouse on the top floor. Today, there are a lot of skateboarders practicing in the front travertine courtyard. How decadent! We developed the Spring/Summer Couch Jacket and Pleated Pants in the upcycled, light blue version as an imaginative uniform for this building.

Architect: Gordon Bunschaft (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill)
Avenue Marnix 24, 1000 Brussels

Former Banque Lambert Headquarters

Former CGER Headquarters

One of the most iconic Brutalist façades in Brussels – a must-see. We were inspired by the details of this façade when we created the imaginary building for our Spring/Summer 2020 collection.

Architects: Marcel Lambrichs, Casimir Grochowski, Daniel de Laveleye
Rue des Boiteux 10-12, 1000 Brussels

Former CGER Headquarters

Former CGER Headquarters

Rectorate of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel

The University of Brussels was influenced by numerous different architectural styles. We could do an ArchitecTour of the university alone.

Architect: Renaat Braem
Campus de la Plaine 2, 1050 Brussels

Rectorate of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Popeline Light Blue Hooded Shirt
Popeline Light Blue Hooded Shirt
Popeline Light Blue Hooded Shirt
Popeline Light Blue Hooded Shirt
Popeline Light Blue Hooded Shirt
Popeline Light Blue Hooded Shirt

Mansour Martin

Popeline Light Blue Hooded Shirt

€260.00
  • 100% Organic Cotton (GOTS & OEKO TEX certified)
  • Colour: Light Blue
  • Big hood
  • Button closure
  • Breast pocket
  • Oversized fit
  • Choose your regular size
  • Marcos is 187cm and wears size M
    Model measures: chest 90cm, waist 73cm

MADE IN BELGIUM

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Rando Pants Gabardine Beige
Rando Pants Gabardine Beige
Rando Pants Gabardine Beige
Rando Pants Gabardine Beige
Rando Pants Gabardine Beige
Rando Pants Gabardine Beige

MWORKS

Rando Pants Gabardine Beige

€340.00
The perfect pair of utility pants for summer: the Rando Pants Gabardine are made of a lightweight fabric and feature big pockets to carry all your belongings as well as playful drawstring details on the back.
  • 100% Cotton
  • Colour: Beige
  • Lightweight fabric
  • Big back pockets
  • Big, voluminous pockets on the front
  • Drawstring detail on the back of the knee
  • Regular fit
  • June is 187 cm and wears size S
  • Model measures: waist 71 cm

MADE IN POLAND

MWORKS is the new name of the label Mansour Martin

Light Wool Summer Jogger Black
Light Wool Summer Jogger Black
Light Wool Summer Jogger Black
Light Wool Summer Jogger Black
Light Wool Summer Jogger Black
Light Wool Summer Jogger Black

Mansour Martin

Light Wool Summer Jogger Black

€290.00

"Our wool comes from one of the oldest wool mills with 13th generation of the same Italian family at the helm, Vitale Barberis Canonico (1663).  Today they combine heritage savoir-faire and innovation to offer a wide range of woolens and natural blends for menswear. They pride themselves in selecting the highest quality merino wool from Australian breeders. They even created a Wool Excellence Award and Club, only working and rewarding breeders respecting the International Wool Textile Organization (IWTO) guidelines for Wool Sheep Welfare (good practice principles for ethical wool sheep production). "

  • 100 % Italian Wool
  • Elasticated waist
  • Single welted black pocket
  • Handmade finishing
  • Elasticated waist
  • Slim fit
  • Leon is 187 cm and wears size XS
    Model measures: waist 71cm

MADE IN BELGIUM

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Thank you, Mansour and Martin, for being part of THE WASTED HOUR.

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