bMa / Man of Thoughts

 

Brussels-based photographer, Marie-Françoise Plissart took a series of portraits of Brussels through the eyes of nineteen "silent opinion-leaders". The series of photos stands as a tribute to the city and as a status quaestionis of its spatial policies. The series is echoed in nineteen"witness statement" by individuals who worked closely with the bMa and his team in recent years. They reflect on the work process and the continuity of the bMa as institution.

 

The head architect himself then talks about the role and responsability of his mandate, the Brussels context, and the tangible achievements of the past five years. A "Cabinet of novelties" uses personal items belonging to the bMa and his team to tell the tale of the complex challenges theyu faced, stories of enthusiasm as well as doubt that accompanied the five years in office. A visual account of eighteen key projects shows how the bMa plays his role in various ways and reveals the processes that took place.

 

The book closes with an inventory of all the projects that ended up on the desk of the bMa over the five past years.