Marie-José Van Hee – For Sun and Wind to Paint on 

Step into the living room and dining room of a house designed by an award-winning architect and experience them at their true scale. 

The Belgian architect Marie-José Van Hee (b. 1950) is one of the most significant European architects of our time and the recent recipient of the Alvar Aalto Medal.  

Explore a Home Designed by a Renowned Architect 

The exhibition invites you into a house located in South Holland designed by Van Hee. The home’s living spaces, including the dining and living rooms, kitchen, and a narrow terrace, have been constructed in the exhibition in their actual scale. As a counterbalance to the bustle of the city, you can step into the serenity of this understated space. The exhibition has been created in collaboration with Marie-José Van Hee herself and also showcases her other key works. 

Can Austere Architecture Feel Humane?  

Van Hee’s architectural philosophy demonstrates that unadorned spaces can indeed accommodate daily life. By investing in the search for “honest materials”, adhering to principles like “eliminating clutter”, and ensuring that “a good room receives light from two directions”, her designs create functional yet vivid and inviting spaces.  

Award-Winning Architect and Inspiring Teacher 

Marie-José Van Hee, who graduated as an architect in 1974, has received numerous prestigious honours, including Belgium’s National Cultural Prize and the Architizer A+ Award. Most recently, in August 2024, she was awarded the international Alvar Aalto Medal. Van Hee has taught at the Sint-Lucas School of Architecture and ETH Zurich, inspiring multiple generations of architects through her teaching and her architecture firm, founded in 1990. 

An Exceptional Medalist 

The Alvar Aalto Medal, named after the academician Alvar Aalto, is awarded to individuals who have made highly significant contributions to the field of architecture. Previous recipients include Tadao Ando and Jørn Utzon, the architect of the Sydney Opera House. Marie-José Van Hee is an exceptional recipient of this award, as she is best known for her small-scale projects, such as homes. She is also the first woman to receive this recognition in her own right. 

The Sun as a Painter of Homes 

Van Hee skillfully uses materials, light, and proportions to create harmonious spaces where the boundary between interior and exterior becomes blurred. The exhibition’s title, Homes Painted by the Sun, reflects Van Hee’s meticulous attention to how light interacts with different surfaces and materials. 

I like good rooms; that’s that interests me through all the ages. Houses with good rooms, good-dimensioned rooms with good light coming in, and doors. What else do you need?  – Marie-José Van Hee  

Read more about the 2024 Alvar Aalto Medal awarded to Marie-José Van Hee

Images: Thomas De Bruyne, Jef Jacobs

Exhibition Team 

Curators: Jutta Tynkkynen, Marie-José Van Hee, Sam De Vocht
Exhibitions Producers: Sara Martinsen, Susanna Otranen
Exhibitions Producers: Sara Martinsen, Susanna Otranen
Head of Exhibitions: Suvi Saloniemi
Exhibition Architecture / Marie-José Van Hee architecten: Marie-José Van Hee, Sam De Vocht, Viktor Derks, Ilse De Sutter, Thomas Faes, Wannes De Brouwer, Mattias Deboutte & Enver Peeters
Exhibition Technician: Timo Vikkula
Graphic Design: Salla Bedard
Lighting Design: Jani-Matti Salo (large exhibition gallery)
In Collaboration with: Delegation of Flanders in the Nordic Countries, Farrow & Ball
Thanks: Dirk Braeckman, Marjan Coppens & Johan Van Hee, Jos Devriendt, Valerie Doutreluingne, Frank Ternier (LABT), De Singel Arts Center