Talking Structures: Mouton and the Under-Order in Architecture chronicles thirty years of co-creation between the Belgian structural engineering firm Mouton and the architects they work with — making the case, through forty rigorously documented projects, that structure is not a technical service but a form of design thinking that actively shapes architectural quality.
About This Book
Mouton's working philosophy is straightforward to state and difficult to practise: structure should be designed, not just calculated. This book traces what that means across three decades of collaboration with some of Belgium's most architecturally significant practices — among them RCR arquitectes, Zaha Hadid Architects, Eduardo Souto de Moura, B-architects, Wim Goes Architectuur, BEEL Architects, jo taillieu architects, and Coussée and Goris. Eighteen project narratives describe the challenges, inspirations, intermediate steps, and dialogues of each collaboration, illuminating the structural concept from inception to realisation. Jolien Naeyaert contributes a personal essay on drawing and collaborative design, exploring the intertwining of structural and architectural thought. An illustrated glossary clarifies terminology and practical implementation throughout.
Key Features
- Forty projects featuring collaborations with RCR arquitectes, Zaha Hadid Architects, Eduardo Souto de Moura, BEEL Architects, jo taillieu architects, Coussee and Goris, and others
- Essay on structural drawing and collaborative design by Jolien Naeyaert
- Illustrated glossary of structural terminology and implementation
What You'll Discover
- How structure can function as more than a load-bearing system — as an organising, materialising, and enhancing force in architectural design
- The concept of the under-order: structure as a meaningful carrier of a design's deeper intentions
- Eighteen project narratives tracing the dialogue between structural and architectural thinking from concept to completion
- The role of drawing and representation in structural and architectural collaboration
About the Author
Mouton is a Belgian structural engineering office whose philosophy centres on designing structures in close collaboration with architects, from early concept through to realisation. Bernard Wittevrongel is a senior engineer and partner at Mouton. Jolien Naeyaert is an architect and writer whose work explores the intersection of structural and architectural thought.
Specifications
- Format: Softcover
- Pages: 304
- Dimensions: 31 x 23.5 cm
- Language: Dutch / English
- ISBN: 9789090415116
- Publisher: Mouton
- Publication Date: 2026
Perfect For: Architects, structural engineers, architecture students, and anyone interested in the creative and technical dialogue between engineering and architectural design