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Hanne Mangelschots

Hanne Mangelschots (she/her) applies her design background to structure complex societal challenges and translate them into stories and concepts that people can actively engage with.

 

She has been part of Workroom since 2017. Through exhibitions, learning platforms, and public programmes, she addresses the implementation gap between goals and execution (‘The Missing Link’) in a variety of transitions. She also leads and supports energy projects and helps shape the strategy for the team working on energy neighbourhoods – from the collective renovation of apartment buildings to the co-creation of neighbourhood energy action plans and the development of small-scale collective heating networks. Since 2024, Hanne has also been working part-time on a PhD research project on energy neighbourhoods in collaboration with Ghent University.

 

Hanne studied civil engineering/architecture at KU Leuven and gained professional experience at the urban planning and research offices BUUR, Endeavour, and Maat-ontwerpers.

 

Selection of projects:

 

• IABR–2018 / You Are Here 2018 (2017–2018)

• Delta Atelier (2018–2021)

• Kopgroep Stedelijk Beheer (2019–2020)

• De Grote Verbouwing 2020–2030

• JPI Cities4PEDs / PED toolkit (2021–2023)

• Prefigurations (2022)

• Collectieve renovatie van appartementsgebouwen in Antwerpen (2023–2024)

• Living Lab Muide Meulestede Fossielvrij (2023–2025)

• Operatie Energiewijken (2024–2025)

• 100 Neighbourhoods Platform (2023-) 

• F5D First Five Fossil-Free Districts (2026-) 

• Expos Gent Fossielvrij (2026)

 

Selected publicatons: 

 

• Declerck, J., Mangelschots, H. (2020) The next big thing will be a lot of small things. A manifesto to design new projects, new coalitions and new platforms as a tool for a socio-spatial movement in times of climate crisis. Raumplanung 205, p. 8-13

• Mangelschots, H., Declerck, J., Cicchianni, C. (2023) Energiepositieve wijken: De energietransitie op wijkniveau als motor voor een integrale en inclusieve aanpak. RUIMTE 60

• Mangelschots, H., Declerck, J. (2025) Muide-Meulestede Gent. Wijkwarmte als collectieve operatie. SAMPOL 

Contact
hanne [at] workroom.org
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WORKROOM

Since 2010, Architecture Workroom Brussels has focused on the future of our living environment. The organisation began as a safe haven to address the link between space and societal transitions, aimed at fostering a futureproof design practice, commissioning and building culture.

It has now become evident that the transformation of our streets, neighbourhoods, and landscapes is both a prerequisite and a lever for achieving societal goals in synergy. Yet we observe that these transformations remain difficult to imagine and implement. They span so many sectors and involve so many actors that responsibility falls on everyone, and therefore, ultimately, on no one.

That is why we make it our mission to create the space that connects them. And with this refined mission comes a new name: WORKROOM, House for transformation. WORKROOM is the shared space where the future of our living environment is not only imagined but also organised.

We are currently taking the lead on three mission-driven transformations:

  • SOCIETAL INCUBATORS - By 2030, stakeholders from the youth, culture, sports, care and education sectors will join forces to create renewed societal spaces that tackle loneliness and counteract the fragmentation and pressure on public infrastructure.
  • FOSSIL-FREE NEIGHBOURHOODS - By 2030, at least ten neighbourhoods will be underway with the transition to fossil-free energy in an inclusive and affordable way, with a view to completely phase-out fossil fuels by 2040.
  • SPONGE LANDSCAPES - By 2030, we will have achieved our water, agriculture and nature goals through a single, coherent approach at catchment area level, in which strong regional coalitions collectively enhance the landscape's sponge capacity.

To make these transformations a reality, WORKROOM works shoulder to shoulder with pioneering designers, local authorities, organisations and businesses, governments, knowledge institutions and impact investors.

Through co-creative design, we imagine shared pathways to the future in exhibitions, publications, innovation programmes and public programmes. These are the workrooms where we connect the actors capable of realising these transformations. From there, we design shared ownership and the organisational, funding and policy models that lead to real change.

The name is simpler. The stakes are higher. WORKROOM is the shared space where we tackle the social and spatial transformations that no one can achieve alone. In an era of polarisation, compartmentalisation and instability, that is perhaps the most radical thing we can do.