b'What experts sayErik Wiers, Chief Flemish Government ArchitectErik Wiers is the chief Flemish Government architect and founder of the architecture firm Collectief Noord. As chief government architect, Eriks role is to promote the architectural quality of the built environment in the widest sense.How do you see the role of the brief in theWhat makes a good brief?design process? A good project definition focuses on ambitions As a designer, I consider everything as context,rather than a particular program. Ideally, it doesnt also the projects brief. It is context to which Imake any assumptions about design solutions. It try to give meaning. From this perspective, ais a difficult balance, but statements like we want designer should first and foremost focus on thea striking building should be avoided in the brief. ambitions that are formulated in the briefbeforeDecisions about the nature of the building should considering the practical or functional data. be left to designers.Bernard Tschumi once said that theAny recommendations for construction relationship between program and form canclients?be one of either reciprocity, indifference, orGet professional guidance for developing a conflict. What is your view on this? projects brief. As I said earlier: formulating a Buildings should not just be a translation of agood question is just as much a design task as particular program, but robust creations thatformulating a good answer.can survive and outlive the program. From this perspective, we should adopt an attitude that tends towards indifference. A good building should have character and meaningone may call it cultural sustainabilitythat relates to its location rather than its current program.Since 2020, you have been the Flemish Government Architect, which gives you a lot of involvement on the client side of construction projects. Has this changed your perspective on briefing?If you had asked me what architectural quality was before I got this position, I would have defined it from purely the designers point of view and how a designer gives value and meaning to the question posed in the brief. I am now much more aware, however, that the clients ambitions, as described in the brief, have a large impact on a projects quality as well. Therefore, guidance of the clientby means of design researchis critical. You need a clear question to be able to formulate a clear answer.182'