Ugly Belgian Houses doesn't sound like the name of a blog that would go viral. For one, it's about architecture. And its images aren't the kind of eye-candy you save as "inspiration" for your "future" home in Tribeca/Aspen/Le Marais. But they are the kind of photos you can't stop clicking on, partially in shock, partially in hysterics, and partially in genuine fascination with the phenomenon that is private homes in Belgium.
When Hannes Coudenys, a social media manager and architecture buff, founded the Ugly Belgian Houses Tumblr in 2011, it spread immediately on Twitter. According to Hannes, that's because the blog tapped into an ever-present aspect of Belgian life: the fact that its residential areas are a medley of styles, each house with its own idiosyncrasy. In a country famous for offbeat fashion, one casualty is perhaps that residents choose such enduring mediums as houses to proclaim their personal styles.
In Opening Ceremony's year of Belgium, we thought it timely to investigate––and indeed, celebrate––this aspect of Belgian culture, with a interview with Hannes and an Ugly Belgian Houses Instagram takeover, happening today. We say celebrate, because in Hannes' words, "It's better a house be ugly than boring." Agreed.
Photos and captions by Hannes Coudenys
Alice Hines: How did you get started taking pictures of ugly houses?
Hannes Coudenys: I like architecture and have some friends who are architects. Normally, if you like architecture you like good houses, but in Belgium there's a lot of ugly architecture. So I started taking pictures of it.
When I think of Belgian architecture, I think of Baroque CATHEDRALS, Art Nouveau CONCERT HALLS, or maybe the European Parliament building. What's the history of this other type of architecture you photograph?
The Flemish part [of Belgium], where I live, is very small and dense and people love to build houses here. That started after World War II, with a new economic boom and the government promoting the idea of building and owning your own home. Now, almost everyone has a house. You go for a big loan and you pay it back for 30 years, and that's a very important thing to people. There's an expression [in Flemish] that says, "We are born with a brick in our stomach."
Which part of Belgium are you from?
I'm based in Kortrijk which is close to Ghent. My houses are mostly from the Flemish side, but also from everywhere in Belgium. I travel a lot and I have to work near Brussels every day [so I take pictures then]. They're all my own pictures.
Why do you think so many of the houses in Belgium turned out the way they did, very unique in style and different from what seems like every other home nearby?
We have a culture of owning our own houses and we are a very stubborn people. We're not a very social people, but we do have homes and we want to translate our personal styles into those homes. That's a goal for many people here. So you'll see a Spanish villa next to a typical French farmhouse.
Everything here is a big mess, actually. But that's what makes the Belgian house for me so special. In a certain way, it's ugly. But it has a kind of poetry, too. It's the kind of thing you notice when you're walking
When Hannes Coudenys, a social media manager and architecture buff, founded the Ugly Belgian Houses Tumblr in 2011, it spread immediately on Twitter. According to Hannes, that's because the blog tapped into an ever-present aspect of Belgian life: the fact that its residential areas are a medley of styles, each house with its own idiosyncrasy. In a country famous for offbeat fashion, one casualty is perhaps that residents choose such enduring mediums as houses to proclaim their personal styles.
In Opening Ceremony's year of Belgium, we thought it timely to investigate––and indeed, celebrate––this aspect of Belgian culture, with a interview with Hannes and an Ugly Belgian Houses Instagram takeover, happening today. We say celebrate, because in Hannes' words, "It's better a house be ugly than boring." Agreed.
Photos and captions by Hannes Coudenys
Alice Hines: How did you get started taking pictures of ugly houses?
Hannes Coudenys: I like architecture and have some friends who are architects. Normally, if you like architecture you like good houses, but in Belgium there's a lot of ugly architecture. So I started taking pictures of it.
When I think of Belgian architecture, I think of Baroque CATHEDRALS, Art Nouveau CONCERT HALLS, or maybe the European Parliament building. What's the history of this other type of architecture you photograph?
The Flemish part [of Belgium], where I live, is very small and dense and people love to build houses here. That started after World War II, with a new economic boom and the government promoting the idea of building and owning your own home. Now, almost everyone has a house. You go for a big loan and you pay it back for 30 years, and that's a very important thing to people. There's an expression [in Flemish] that says, "We are born with a brick in our stomach."
Which part of Belgium are you from?
I'm based in Kortrijk which is close to Ghent. My houses are mostly from the Flemish side, but also from everywhere in Belgium. I travel a lot and I have to work near Brussels every day [so I take pictures then]. They're all my own pictures.
Why do you think so many of the houses in Belgium turned out the way they did, very unique in style and different from what seems like every other home nearby?
We have a culture of owning our own houses and we are a very stubborn people. We're not a very social people, but we do have homes and we want to translate our personal styles into those homes. That's a goal for many people here. So you'll see a Spanish villa next to a typical French farmhouse.
Everything here is a big mess, actually. But that's what makes the Belgian house for me so special. In a certain way, it's ugly. But it has a kind of poetry, too. It's the kind of thing you notice when you're walking