Contact info
AIA – BATir, Ecole polytechnique de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles
Engineer Architect, professor of architecture history and theory
Avenue F.D Roosevelt 50, CP 194/02, B-1050 Brussels (post address)
Avenue A. Buyl 87, C5, B-1050 Brussels (offices) Rika.Devos@ulb.ac.be
Research interest
Construction and architecture history; post-war history; exhibition architecture; actors in construction; historiography; early lightweight structures; 19th and 20th century.
Current and past research projects in the field of Construction History
“Tout le Congo est un chantier”. Re-assessing Congo’s architectural history from 1918 till 1975 through a construction history approach. FWO project 2015-2018, with prof. J. Lagae (UGent, main promoter), prof. L. Taerwe (UGent), prof. J. Sabakinu Kivily (Univ. de Kinshasa) and prof. R. Devos (ULB).
Valorisation of the archives of the contractor Blaton (Brussels): archival research and publication. AAM project 2014-2016, with prof. B. Espion (ULB), prof. M. Provost (ULB), prof. R. Devos (ULB) and dr. ir. A. Hellebois.
Representative publications in the field of Construction History
R. Devos, B. Espion and M. Provost, ‘La modernité d’après-guerre au volant. Trois garages remarquables à Bruxelles (1949-1963)’, Bruxelles Patrimoine, vol. 15/16, 2015, pp. 92-101.
R. Devos and M. Mollaert, ‘A quest for early tensile structures at Expo 58’, in: B. Bowen et al (eds.), Proceedings of the fifth International Congress on Construction History. ICCH2015: Construction History Society of America. Chicago, vol. 1, 2015, pp. 591-599.
R. Devos and B. Espion, ‘The hanging roofs of Expo 58: demonstrations of knowledge, prestige and ideals’, ICE – Engineering History and Heritage, vol. 165/EH3, 2012, pp. 187-196.
R. Devos and St. Van de Voorde, ‘Collaboration and rivalry at Expo 58: authorship in the building industries’ landmarks’, in: Paolo Cruz (ed.), Structures and Architecture. Proceedings of the 1st International conference on Structures and Architecture. Boca Raton: CRC Press /Balkema, 2010, pp. 1944-1951.
R. Devos and F. Floré, ‘Modern wood. De Coene at Expo 58’, Construction History, vol. 24, 2009, pp. 103-120.
