Imagine a utopia that heralds the future and embodies a trinity of ideas: financial viability, elegance, and modernity. 50 years after its inception, this film’s director reconnects with its creators: architect and researcher Jean Englebert, visionary steel-shaper Paul Petit, and participatory architecture pioneers Lucien and Simone Kroll. Together, they challenged conservative notions of building construction by establishing experimental, modern housing communities in Brussels, Liège, and Charleroi. Are architects political optimists whose designs prompt us to ponder: what will tomorrow look like? 

The Brussels-based architect, photographer, and director Degavre adopts the approach of “learning from the past to understand the future.” Yet, the film’s concept transcends time: it delves into questions about affordability and the legacy we leave for future generations. The director delves into a lesser-known aspect of Belgian architectural history: the post-modern steel enclaves constructed by students in traditional Belgian countryside settings. Through personal recollections intertwined with archival materials and interviews with Belgian architects, the film pays homage to experimental thinking that extends beyond the present moment.