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Following their architecture studies at Sint-Lucas Hogeschool voor Wetenschap en Kunst in Gent (St Lucas Visual Arts), Alexander Dierendonck (1971) and Isabelle Blancke (1973) went to Paris, where they both came to work for, among others, Dominique Perrault. In 1999 they started their own business together. Alexander Dierendonck describes their approach as ‘no nonsense’ – the brief, with its parameters and limitations, is always the starting point. There are no preconceived notions regarding approach, no mannerisms and no desire to create something that does not result directly from the design’s preconditions. This makes for a design method in which the building is first laid out schematically; subsequently, using a feedback mechanism, the materialisation and constructional aspects are elaborated.
From: Strauven, I., “NICHE Dierendonckblanckearchitecten – Gemeenschapscentrum Avelgem”, Paleis voor Schone Kunsten, A+ Belgisch tijdschrift voor architectuur, Orde van Architecten 2009, pp 14 – 15.

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