The projects are formulated through various practices. Within the studio, the team of architects works with people from the performing and fine arts (actors, directors, theatre designers, producers, etc.). This interdisciplinary approach is nourished by a dimension of openness and sharing knowledge as well as pleasure. Preparing a meal is as important as carrying out a coordination meeting or technical research.

In the field, l'Escaut’s commitment is expressed in concrete terms through various levels of citizen participation (from consultation to appropriation, and including architecture workshops, dialogues, etc.). Anthropological research carried out by specialists, as well as a territorial approach developed by landscape architects, often back up the architectural and urban planning skills of the studio. Their commitment is also expressed in the staging dimension of the projects, which signifies a very physical understanding of their profession.

The spatial forms resulting from these practices are varied and specific according to the contexts and processes that have conditioned them. A few recurrences nonetheless: the maximum effect with the minimum means, with political, social and ecological awareness; a search for lightness relieving the investment in the project as measured in time and energy.

This approach requires continuous experimentation, and leads to concrete expressions with a strong personality. It is valued both by public institutions and by private clients.

Founded in 1989 by Olivier Bastin, architect-scenographer, and Micheline Hardy, actress-director-scriptwriter-producer, today l'Escaut has fifteen internal members in the team, to which occasional and recurrent partners are added, engineers, landscapers, town planners, artists, etc.

Olivier BASTIN
architect (ISA Saint Luc Tournai 1983)
scenographer (atelier Sainte Anne 1987-88)
founder of l'Escaut en 1989 with Micheline Hardy

Eloisa ASTUDILLO FERNANDEZ
architect (ISACF La Cambre 1999)
Training Passive house (Passiefhuis – Platform)
works at l'Escaut since October 2000

Nele STRAGIER
architect (WENK Sint Lucas Gent 2000)
‘Energiebewust architect’
works at l'Escaut since September 2003

Florence HOFFMANN
architect (ISA Victor Horta ULB 2004)
PEB Advisor (IBGE-BIM), Training insulation of timber frame constructions (Espace Formation PME)
works at l'Escaut since November 2004

Michael BIANCHI
architect (ISA Saint Luc, Liège 1995)
works at l'Escaut since January 2005

Pierre LARAUZA
architect - scenographer (Paris la Villette 2004)
works at l'Escaut since November 2006

Catherine DOHMEN
architect (ISA Victor Horta ULB 2003)
Training Passive house (Passiefhuis – Platform)
works at l'Escaut since November 2006

Claire LABORDE
architect (Ecole d'Architecture de Nantes)
works at l'Escaut since February 2006

Bjorn GIELEN
landscape architect (Erasmus Hogeschool Brussel 2002)
works part-time at l'Escaut since January 2004

Marie SZERSNOVICZ
scenographer (ESAD Strasbourg 2005)
works at l'Escaut since January 2007

Nadine CHANVILLARD
communication (IHECS Brussels 2002)
works part-time at l'Escaut since March 2007

Annelies KUMS
architect (Sint Lucas Brussels 2006)
‘Energiebewust architect’
works at l'Escaut since July 2007

Justine FERY
interior architect (ENSAV La Cambre)
works at l'Escaut since September 2007

Pieterjan GIJS
engineer-architect (KUL, 2006)
urban planner (UCL, 2007)
‘Energiebewust architect’
works at l'Escaut since November 2007

David CRAMBERT
architect HMONP (E.N.S.A. Nantes 2007)
works at l'Escaut since November 2007

François LICHTLE
architect (Ecole d'Architecture de Nancy 2007)
works at l'Escaut since Februry 2008

Laetisia FRANCK
architect (Saint-Luc Brussels 2003)
PEB Advisor (IBGE-BIM), Training Passive house (Passiefhuis – Platform), Training insulation of timber frame constructions (Espace Formation PME)
works at l'Escaut since April 2008

Déborah VAN DER LINDEN
architect (ISA Victor Horta ULB 2005)
PEB Advisor (IBGE-BIM), Training insulation of timber frame constructions (Espace Formation PME)
works at l'Escaut since August 2008

Raquel SANTANA DE MORAIS
architect (FAUUSP 2006 Brazil)
scenographer (Espaço Cenografico 2005 Brazil)
works at l'Escaut since August 2009