MEET THE SPEAKER \\ François Valentiny, Founder VALENTINY hvp architects, Luxembourg

François Valentiny, Founder of VALENTINY hvp architects, will be a valuable presence at SHARE Hungary Forum 2024, sharing his exploration of architectural and cultural territories.

François Valentiny is founder of the architectural practice VALENTINY hvp architects, started in 1980 along with Hubert Hermann Hermann, as well as founder of VALENTINY Foundation, active since 2014. His impressive and complex professional journey have brought him today in the position of being one of the most distinguished architects from Luxembourg, with his works crossing international borders and breaking numerous barriers. His activity which spans different spaces, countries, disciplines is strongly influenced by the spirit of the place where he is established — Schengen, which lies at the tripoint where Luxembourg, Germany and France meet, a place which has become a symbol of open borders and freedom of movement in Europe. The dynamic of François Valentiny’s experience is in constant movement, always finding new territories to explore. His foundation is one of the proofs of this way of being, being an institution of public interest which contributes to the promotion of art and architecture in the broadest sense of the term and opens to society through its cultural, social and tourism mission.

 

 

In his 44 years of experience in the architectural and cultural field, François Valentiny has established his name through numerous projects which have received important accolades. Among others, he was awarded the Cruz Europea de Oro by the Fundacion Europeo Barcelona and the Eiffel Wooden Construction Award in Germany for the Biodiversum in Remerschen, Luxembourg, as well as being named one of the 100 Architects of the Year by the Korean Institute of Architects. In 2018 he was awarded the Grand Decoration of Merit by the Land of Salzburg. It is also worth mentioning that was made President of the “Fondation de l’Architecture et de l’Ingénierie” (today LUCA) in Luxembourg for the year 2006/2007 and in 2006 was awarded the Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria. In 2008 he was honoured for his overall architectural work in the Grand Duchy and abroad and received the Luxembourg Architecture Prize 2007.

 

 

The projects he and his office have undertaken show a clear identity, usually defined by bold geometries. Although overall there are common characteristics to be found in their work, each building has qualities of its own, developed not only conceptually, but also being modelled and improved by the exploration of the context, of the circumstances of life and the place. VALENTINY hvp architects have developed their own signature, which is shaped more strongly by materials than by form; they have remained faithful to their rejection of a world without colour and excitement and use strong accents to counteract it. As a whole their architecture has an expressive strength and is full of fantasy, both radical and sensitive at one and the same time. In the long period of time since he started his practice,  François Valentiny has explored many possibilities in matters of approach, form, drawing a path of development from sculpturally modelled building volumes to a structural dissection, from a formerly closed architecture to an open one.

 

 

François Valentiny described his take on architecture in a very complex and thoughtful way:

“The work of the architect is closely linked to his personality. With his desire to create and his experience of life, he strives to provide adequate answers to the social and cultural challenges of our society. (…) Architecture is the political and cultural reflection of a society. It is public and belongs to everybody. The aim hence is not to approach a project as a canvas or a poem, not more than a piece of music. Architecture can cause injuries and hurt. It transcends society.”