2026 Agenda
René Pechère Literary Prize 2026 – November 2026 in Paris.
Newsletter 2024
Lecture « Frederick Law Olmsted, Landscape Architect, » winner of the René Pechère Literary Prize 2022, by Catherine Maumi
Tuesday 10 December 2024 at 7 pm at CIVA: Special lecture by Catherine Maumi on her book « Frederick Law Olmsted, Landscape Architect, », winner of the René Pechère Literary Prize 2022.
Registration via the following link: CIVA
Venue – CIVA – Rue de l’Ermitage 55 – 1050 Brussels
RIP Monsieur Jean-Pierre Bady
Monsieur Jean-Pierre Bady, honorary member of the Comité and former vice-president, passed away on 28 November last.
A senior civil servant, magistrate at the Court of Auditors, adviser in various ministerial cabinets, Monsieur Bady served as Director of the Caisse nationale des monuments historiques et des sites and Director of Heritage. He also led the Institut national du patrimoine before becoming President of the Commission de récolement des dépôts d’œuvres d’art.
Monsieur Bady held many important positions within the Ministry of Culture.
The Comité retains a deeply moved recollection of his faithful and unwavering commitment.
The religious ceremony was held on Wednesday 4 December at 10:30 am at the church of Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption, Paris 16th.
The finalists of the René Pechère Prize announced…
On Wednesday 27 November 2024, in the symbolic setting of the literary café at the Galerie Bortier, the Comité Pechère presented the René Pechère Prize 2024.
This literary prize, awarded every two years, celebrates French-language books that remarkably honour the art of landscape and gardens. Jacques Moulin, Architecte en Chef des Monuments Historiques de France, received the trophy from the hands of the President of the international Jury, François Chaslin, and the President of the Comité Pechère, Nicolas de Villenfagne. He was awarded for his exceptional book « Les jardins de Versailles/1623-1715 » (In fine Editions d’Art). Paul Grosjean
Marco Martella also received a special mention for his book « Les fruits du myrobolan » published by Actes Sud.
27 November 2024: Award Ceremony for the Francophone René Pechère Prize
R.I.P. Cécile GOOR-EYBEN
Interview – Colloque Exchanges in European Landscape Design,
1945-1975
At the symposium Exchanges in European Landscape Design, 1945-1975 held in Brussels last June, several speakers and participants were interviewed about landscape design and urban development in the second half of the 20th century.
Thanks to the team at the Maison de la Recherche en Sciences Humaines (University of Caen, Normandy), seven interviews are now available on the YouTube channel of the Institut Européen des Jardins & Paysages.
Interview with Jean-Noël Capart by Nathalie de Harlez de Deulin
Interview with Sonja Dümpelmann by Iris LAUTERBACH
Interview with Marc Treib by Cristina CASTEL BRANCO
Interview with Ursula Wieser Benedetti by Marco MARTELLA
Interview with Dorothée Imbert by Cristina CASTEL BRANCO
Interview with Anna Jakobsson by Cristina CASTEL BRANCO
Interview with Iris LAUTERBACH by Nathalie de Harlez de Deulin
More interviews to follow.
Een groene toegangspoort tot het centrum van Vilvoorde
Jean Noël Capart, maître du paysage par Agnès Pirlot de Corbion (Eden Magazine N° 75)
Grammaire des Jardins, René Pechère par Agnès Pirlot de Corbion
Fonds René Pechère CIVA par Agnès Pirlot de Corbion
Exchanges in European Landscape Design 1945-1975
The symposium Exchanges in European Landscape Design, 1945-1975 brought together researchers from Europe and North America to examine the influence of exchanges and transfers on the development of garden and landscape art in the post-war period.
This event was organised by the Comité René Pechère, in partnership with the European Institute of Gardens & Landscapes and CIVA.
Our sponsors
More information? Visit our website!
Friday 17 May 2024 at 6:30 pm: Visit to the Laeken Greenhouses for members and friends of the Comité René Pechère
Thursday 14 March 2024: Annual General Meeting of the Comité René Pechère
Event evening of 19 December 2023 at 7 pm, in partnership with CIVA:
The 2021 and 2023 laureates of the Dutch-language René Pechère Literary Prize, which distinguishes outstanding works in the field of garden history and landscape architecture, invite you to discover, over the course of the evening, worlds as varied as that of the gardeners of the Orange princes and princesses between 1621 and 1732, and contemporary Belgian landscape architecture.
Dutch doctor of philosophy and garden historian Lenneke Berkhout will present the varied and sometimes entirely unsuspected aspects of the gardener’s profession within the Orange court, as she revealed them to readers in her captivating Hoveniers van Oranje. Functie, werk en positie 1621-1732.
Then the great Belgian landscape architect Chris Vermander will share his vision of the profession, and walk through some of his most notable works, featured in the 2023 prize-winning book: Landschappen, het onvoltooide.
Tribute to Paul Geerts (+ 2023)
Tribute to Joseph De Gryse (1937-2023)
Jules Buyssens and the Nouveau Jardin Pittoresque: Wednesday 28 June 2023 at 7 pm at CIVA, Rue de l’Ermitage 55 – 1050 Brussels
Book presentation in the presence of the author: For more information, click here.
Jules Buyssens (1872–1958) is a major figure in garden art and landscape design in Belgium. After extensive international training which he completed as chief draughtsman in Édouard André’s practice in Paris, he designed more than a thousand projects in Belgium and in about ten European countries (France, Russia, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Monaco, Poland, Lithuania). He created parks and gardens for the aristocracy and the wealthy international bourgeoisie (Prince and Princess Napoleon at Ronchinne, the Solvay family at La Hulpe and Brussels, Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild in Monte-Carlo, the Countess of Pourtalès in Switzerland), worked for various municipalities and, in the interwar period, developed charming small city gardens combining the picturesque with Art Déco. Founder of the movement and magazine Le Nouveau Jardin Pittoresque, he was also landscape architect to the City of Brussels (1904–1937) and responsible for the landscaping of the 1935 World Exhibition in Brussels on the Heysel site.
Jules Buyssens et Le Nouveau Jardin Pittoresque, Brussels, CFC éditions – CIVA, 2023.
Edited by Eric Hennaut and Ursula Wieser Benedetti. Preface by Philippe Nys.
Authors: Florence André, Jean-Marie Bailly, Claire Billen, Odile De Bruyn, Stéphanie de Courtois, Eric Hennaut, Michael Jakob, Philippe Nys, Anne-Marie Sauvat, Ursula Wieser Benedetti.
Scientific proofreading: Herman van den Bossche
274 pages, format 28.5 x 22 cm.
Francophone Literary Prize 2022
- Press Dossier – Francophone Literary Prize 2022 (Download PDF)
- Catherine Maumi (Winner)
- Michael Jakob (Mention)
The links below will help you find conferences and exhibitions as well as cultural activities to enjoy with friends, family or your children.
A) Exhibition: Picturesque, Jules Buyssens, landscape architect
B) Van Buuren Museum & Gardens
C) Jardin Botanique expérimental Jean Massart