Almost half of the architectural firms in Flanders received fewer orders in the first half of the year, marking a continuation of a trend that started in 2022.
The semi-annual business survey of the Netwerk of Architects in Flanders (NAV) showed that, of all its members, half have noted a drop in the number of requests for jobs compared to the same period last year. The decline is particularly pronounced when it comes to commissions for individual houses and the construction of flats.
According to NAV, the downward trend started in 2022, followed by a large drop in January 2023. The drop in work volume in July 2023 was reportedly less pronounced, but architects indicated that they expect a further decline in the second half of 2023. Just 20% of firms in Flanders recorded an increase in the number of jobs they were commissioned to do, while for 32%, the number stagnated.
The decline in work volume is most noticeable in the private residential market, and especially in project developments. The number of public contracts has stagnated again, but the sector fears that there too the number of orders will fall later this year.
The decline is most pronounced in the number of commissions for individual houses. Credit: Belga / Kurt Desplenter
NAV advocated for a more ambitious renovation obligation, more efforts to build social housing and acceleration of authorisation procedures, as it warned that this drop in work volume will likely have a butterfly effect on the entire construction sector.
"Architects are at the very front of the construction chain. A decline in economic activity in the architecture sector will therefore translate to the rest of the construction sector in the short term," said Steven Lannoo, NAV’s managing director. He pointed out that "there is a need for additional efforts to cope with the housing crisis and make our building heritage future-proof."
