The Davos Process

2018 - A DECLARATION

In January 2018, the European Ministers of Culture, including those from Belgium, adopted the Davos Declaration ‘Towards a Quality Built Culture for Europe’. This declaration sets out guidelines on how to establish a quality building culture at a political and strategic level. It reminds us that building is a cultural act and creates a space for culture. Since then, the Davos process has been pursued through a number of initiatives that the Architecture Unit has followed closely.

2021 - A SYSTEM

The Davos System is a tool used to assess the quality of a place's building culture. The assessment is based on eight criteria: Governance, Functionality, Environment, Economy, Diversity, Context, Sense of place, and Beauty. The Davos Quality System is also an aid to planning and projects, competition juries and participatory processes. It is designed to ensure that social, emotional and cultural values are taken into account and weighed up in the same way as technical and functional aspects.

2023 - AN ALLIANCE

Five years after the Declaration, the ministers of culture are meeting again for a new conference in January 2023. The aim? To discuss with representatives of the private sector the means to be implemented to jointly develop a quality built culture in Europe. The conference launched the Davos  Baukultur Alliance 2023, which brings together partners from all sectors. The three Belgian ministries are founding members, and the Architecture Unit is the contact point for the FW-B.