Relational Design Practices in Belgium - Disarticulating Power Dynamics through Fictional Offices

Hasselt is a city currently actively involved with generating participation with citizens, and collaborating with cultural instances such as Z33, with the local University (Faculty Architecture) and with experimental research centers such as The School. In this case study description we discuss two design practices which took place in Hasselt respectively in 2018 and 2019. One tackled the challenges of legislation when entering in communication with refugees. The other reflected on rules and legislations in spatial planning processes. They both explored the enactment of fictional situations to articulate and translate the different positions on the politics related to these challenges between inhabitants and refugees, policy makers, organisations. Two fictional and speculative offices were created to support these translation processes.