Gevers Design - Fondation pour l`Architecture

Archives Design Projects
Gevers Design
Inventory of an inventor
Fondation pour l’Architecture
Gevers Design
Inventory of an inventor
Exhibition from 21 May to 30 September 2008
Exhibition conceived and realised by Archives Design Projects
in partnership with the Fondation pour l’Architecture
The exhibition
The exhibition is conceived and realised by Archives Design Projects, an association
founded by Thierry Belenger, which aims to promote and protect Belgian after-war design.
« Gevers Design » presents a selection of furniture, lighting, interior design models, projects,
working documents, drawings and prototypes of games developed freely by Christophe
Gevers towards the end of his life.
The projects of Gevers were realised thanks to the impulsion of both private initiatives and
public administrations. Among his most important realisations are office arrangements,
theatres, auditorium, cultural centre, conference centre, restaurants, taverns, laboratories,
various boutiques and private appartments are to be found. Gevers executed the first Quick
Louise fast-food restaurant in Brussels, followed by those in Paris, Bordeaux and Milan.
This exhibition is the first exhaustive inventory of Christophe Gevers’ work. He was a
exquisite inventor, particularly productive and very personal, whose abundant production
comes from the same universe, the same rigourous creative approach. The same direction
he was teaching for 33 years at the “Ecole nationale supérieure des arts visuels” of La
Cambre (Brussels), to several generations of designers and interior architects.
Christophe Gevers
Interior architect and designer, Christophe Gevers was born in Antwerp (Belgium) on 30
September 1928 and died on 19 June 2007 in Ohain (Belgium). Educator from 1960 to 1993
at the Ecole nationale supérieure des arts visuels of La Cambre, department “agencement”
and furniture design. Author of various important projects, public and private, among which
the restaurants for the Niels brothers, still existing and trendy nowadays. Creator of furniture
and lighting, he created his own company GEVERSDESIGN, from which certain items are
still edited today by QUATTRO Benelux and AXIS 71.
If he called himself easily "decorator", it was out of pure derision. Above the names of
designer, interior architect or "ensemblier", Gevers preferred to be called artist or space
constructor. His own creative universe, very personal and strangely multidisciplinar, comes
out of the series of handicrafts of which he had a particularly strong perception.
If "Decoration" is synonymous of artificial facade, for me, it cannot exist. Only proportions and
materials count. Proportions in two and three dimensions are dependent of the spaces to
arrange (decorate), the materials are chosen according to the destination of these spaces.
Christophe Gevers, 20 March 1973
His choices of materials such as wood, steel, stone and leather, are dependent on time
which will only make them more beautiful. His constant researches to overcome ancient
knowledge and those of his contemporaries, brought pragmatism, equilibrium and creativity
into his creations.
...I believe I became a Designer, because I was interested in the present, which is the future
and the past well overdue.
Christophe Gevers, 2006
Realisations (selection)
1958
1959
1959
1966-67
1967-68
1968-71
1969
1970
1971
1972-75
1975-76
1976
1976-78
1981
1984
1992-93
Restaurant « Cap d'Argent », Brussels
« Signe d'or » prize for the TBA chair
Restaurant « Taverne des Beaux-Arts », Brussels
Arrangements of boats for Flandria n.v.
Exhibition rooms and offices, Asko, Finland, Brussels, Paris
Auditorium 44 & Twins, Passage 44, Brussels
Restaurant « Le Vieux Saint-Martin », Brussels
Restaurant de La Cambre, Brussels
Restaurant « La Marie-Joseph », Brussels
Cultural centre and Conference centre, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre
Entrance hall and restaurant, BBL, Cour Saint-Michel, Brussels
Arrangements of offices, Crédit Communal de Belgique, Brussels
Restaurant, Société Générale de Banque, rue Ravenstein, Brussels
Exhibition of lightenings for Light, Design Centre, Brussels
Fast-food restaurant « Quick », avenue Louise, Brussels
Restaurant « Le Canterbury », Brussels
Exhibition conceived and executed by Archives Design Projects
Curators: Thierry Aughuet, Thierry Belenger, Michel Bries,
Isabelle Steemans
Thierry Aughuet has worked with Christophe Gevers for more than ten years, he is now
« decorator » and lecturer at La Cambre.
Thierry Belenger, passionate collector and enlightened lover of Belgian and international
design, chairman of Archives Design Projects, co-curator of the exhbition Willy Van Der
Meeren. Furniture design (09/2007-03/2008) at the Atomium (Brussels), initiator with Isabelle
Steemans of the current exhibition « Gevers Design, Inventory of an Inventor”.
Michel Bries, graphic designer, scenographer, educator at La Cambre, has participated in
the exhibition Willy Van Der Meeren. Furniture design at the Atomium.
Isabelle Steemans, scientific researcher for a Brussels Gallery, curator of thematic
exhibitions and works of contemporary artists.
With the essential support of Mrs Christophe Gevers and her family.
Venue of the exhibition
Fondation pour l’Architecture
55, rue de l’Ermitage, 1050 Brussels (Belgium)
telephone : +32 (0)2 642 24 80
email : www.fondationpourlarchitecture.be
website : [email protected]
Hours, tickets & guided tours
Tuesday to Friday 12:00 > 18:00
Saturday and Sunday 10:30 > 18:00
Adult ticket: € 4,00
concessions: € 3,00 : architects, teachers, seniors
€ 2,00 : students, unemployed, VIPO-card
Free entrance >> -12 ans
Scolar groups: 1€/ child (from secondary school onwards : 2€/ pers)
Guided tours: 60€ (weekday) / 70€ (evening and WE)/ 3€ pp
information and bookings : +32 (0)2 642 24 80
Press
Christine de Schaetzen - Fondation pour l’Architecture
55 rue de l’Ermitage - 1050 Brussels
tel +32 (0)2 642 24 75 - mobile +32 (0)478 44 39 34 - [email protected]
Isabelle Steemans - Asbl Archives Design Projects
30 Square Coghen - 1180 Bruxelles
tel + 32 (0)2 512 04 88 – mobile + 32 (0)479 629 658 - [email protected]
Partners
Région de Bruxelles-Capitale - Direction des Monuments et Sites - Fondation Philippe
Rotthier pour l’Architecture - Mandragore # scenography - Verhaegen Walravens - Quattro
Benelux - Design Addict - FM Brussel - Axis 71 - Vedett - AAM - Civa