HISTORY

ASF-Be was founded in 1992. Since then, we have carried out projects in countries such as Ecuador, Romania, Mexico, Peru, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, and Burkina Faso. We have also provided support for reconstruction projects in Turkey, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, as well as a research project on earthquake-resistant building in Kashmir. In Belgium, we have collaborated with organizations such as the Red Cross, OCMWs (Public Social Welfare Centers), and SVKs (Social Housing Companies) to support refugee reception and housing for disadvantaged groups.

Since 2021, Dutch volunteers have also been active within the organization. As a result, the decision was made to expand into an ASF-Belgium & Netherlands organization.

Project History

1994, December 6: Founding of the non-profit organizations ArZoF-ArSaF-ArOG

1994-1995, DINANT: Advice to flood victims

1994, VIETNAM (Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh): Preliminary design for street children shelters in collaboration with the association ‘Poussière de Vie’

1995, DR CONGO (Kikwit): Advice on improving healthcare in collaboration with NGO Memisa and Alumni of KULeuven Medical and Pharmaceutical Faculty

1995, SENEGAL: Structural plan sketches for the town of M'BURO

1996, BRUSSELS: Theatre Vaudeville “Memoires de deux jeunes mariées”

1996, BARCELONA: Joint venture “Arquitectos sin Fronteras” - Spain

1996, BRUSSELS-HALLE: EXPO & AUCTION of ARTWORKS donated by 80 architects and artists

1996, BRUSSELS: Info mailing to all Belgian architects in collaboration with CBR

1996-1999, BATIBOUW: Info desk at the stand of the Order of Architects

1997-1998, LEUVEN: Support for the ‘Housing for the Elderly’ project in collaboration with the city of Leuven and the province of Flemish Brabant

1997-1998-2001, GENK-BOKRIJK: Participation in WORLD FEST in collaboration with the city of Hasselt and the province of Limburg

1998, BERLIN: Establishment of “Architekten über Grenzen Deutschland”

1998-1999, MELSBROEK-GENT-HASSELT: Course on home adaptations in collaboration with MS Clinic and UZ Gent

1998-2002, LEUVEN-TONGEREN-ANTWERPEN: Start of cooperation on the 'Housing for the Elderly' project in collaboration with Seniorama vzw, SIF-Tongeren, MS Clinic Melsbroek, AZ Gent, and the Provincial Safety Institute of Antwerp

1998-2002, ECUADOR (Chimborazo Province): Educational infrastructure for the "Acción Integral de Guamote" project in collaboration with ASF-Espana

1998-1999, DIEST-HALEN-HERK DE STAD: Advice to flood victims

1999, ANTWERPEN: Exhibition “Housing for Life” in collaboration with the Flemish Ergotherapists Association, Province of Antwerp, and the Accessibility Center

1999, TURKEY EARTHQUAKE (Duzce): Research on the possibility of building emergency housing in collaboration with the Red Cross Flanders and the Turkish Union

1999, MILAN: Establishment of "Architetti senza Frontieri Italia" (ASF-I)

1999-2001, MEXICO CITY: Ecological park "Union de Cololes de San Miguel Teotongo" in collaboration with Ciudad de Mexico and Engineers without Borders

1999-2003, GENT-MELSBROEK: Advice on home adaptations in collaboration with occupational therapists MS Melsbroek

2000, CROATIA (Motovun): Support for a center for the disabled in collaboration with the University of Zagreb, University of Nijmegen, and Vrapce-Zagreb Hospital

2000, ROMANIA (Zalau): Design for a center for disadvantaged children in collaboration with International Children's Appeal for Eastern Europe and Enfants du Monde

2000, VENICE RIMS 2000: International MS conference - “Smart and adaptable houses, a reachable objective for individual homes for people with MS”

2000, BUENOS AIRES: ASF-Americas conference

2000-2001, TURKEY EARTHQUAKE (Duzce): Masterplan and construction of prefab emergency housing during a 12-month mission in collaboration with the Red Cross Flanders and the Turkish Union

2000-2002, UN HABITAT: Evaluation of Localizing Agenda 21 in Nakuru, Kenya; Essaouira, Morocco; and Vinh City, Vietnam, on behalf of the Belgian International Development Agency

2000-2004, INDIA: Village development missions in collaboration with the city of Sint Truiden, including various 3-, 6-, and 12-month assignments

2001, SAN FRANCISCO: Meeting “Architects North America”

2001, KOSOVO: LEPOSAVIC mission in collaboration with Caritas International Aid

2002, BATIBOUW BRUSSELS: Own booth and recovery of construction materials from demolished exhibition stands in collaboration with the Flemish Recycling Centers umbrella organization

2004, MEXICO: San Miguel Teotongo (Mexico City) research on 'inverse urbanization' and lack of drinking water

2004, BARCELONA: UN HABITAT Conference in collaboration with ASF-INT

2005-2007, SRI LANKA-INDONESIA: Missions for the Belgian Red Cross 'post-tsunami project'

2005-2007, HASSELT: Establishment of ASF-International Network “Architectures sans Frontières”

2006, VANCOUVER: UN HABITAT Conference in collaboration with ASF-INT

2006, GENEVA: UN HABITAT & IFRC workshop Shelter meeting 06B

2007, GENEVA: UN HABITAT & IFRC workshop Shelter meeting 07A & 07B

2007, SRI LANKA: Evaluation mission for the International Federation of Red Cross Geneva “rebuilding program in South Sri Lanka, post-tsunami”

2007, MAPUTO – MOZAMBIQUE: Expansion of the 'Instituto Superior Dom Bosco' in collaboration with the Exchange Expertise Network

2008, ARUSHA – TANZANIA: Expansion of 'Arusha school & kindergarten' in collaboration with the Exchange Expertise Network

2008, CHIKWAWA & LILONGWE – MALAWI: Masterplan for "local aqua-tourism" and "conference center" in collaboration with the Exchange Expertise Network

2010, SAN IGNATIO – PERU: Masterplan for 'Instituto Superior Dom Bosco' in collaboration with the Exchange Expertise Network

2011-2021, MADAGASCAR: Development of social housing vision, socio/eco-tourism facilities; Adult education and creation of Madagascar Center of Capacity Building in collaboration with Syntra-Limburg & Bouwunie Limburg

2012, OUAGADOUGOU - BURKINA FASO: Architectural advice for International School in collaboration with the Exchange Expertise Network

2015, MURUNDA – RWANDA: Masterplan for 'Murunda Health Center'

2016-2024, BENI – DR CONGO: UNICHIR, Unité Chirurgicale in collaboration with Dr. Reginald MOREELS, AZ St Jan Brugge, and the city of Brugge

2018-2020, MADAGASCAR: Creation of an "architect-assistant" training program in collaboration with the Institut Supérieur de Technologie, FAC ARCH Uhasselt, the Order of Architects Antananarivo, AHBROK, and the Ministry of Education

2019, ANTANANARIVO – MADAGASCAR: Conference on 'Architecture & Urbanism' at the FOROM INTERNATIONAL URBAIN

2020, HASSELT: Research on temporary housing in collaboration with the city of Hasselt and CAW Limburg

2021-, BURUNDI: Masterplan for educational institutions in Muramvya and Muhanga

2021-, MASANGA SIERRA LEONE: Masterplan and various projects for Masanga Hospital, Tonkolili district

2021-2022, BUKAVU RD CONGO: Maternity center at Kabare, in collaboration with Renaissance vzw (Aalst)

2023, UGANDA: Research on new maternity center at Holy Innocents Hospital in collaboration with Engineers without Borders NL

2024, KATOLO KENYA: Masterplan for orphan and single mothers' reception center in collaboration with Visitation Daughters of Mary