the British tabloid Daily Mail posted a story under the headline "Nativity Scene is 'Banned' in Case It Offends One of the FOUR Muslims Living in a Belgian town." The text of the article and other Belgian media reports make it clear that more than "four Muslims" live in the town and the former offers no proof that the small Muslim community in Holsbeek made an issue of the Christian display that forced its removal a city just east of the Belgian capital of Brussels began when officials removed a nativity scene from city hall to comply with the separation of church and state principle who told a Belgian news outlet that "There are maybe only four Muslims living in town and they would never complain that there is a nativity scene in city hall." a web site that publishes in both Flemish and English reported that the nativity scene was removed after complaints by both "people of no faith and non-Christians": Until last year two Nativities embellished the municipal hall: one by the Christmas tree at the entrance and a second near the counters Both have gone after people of no faith and non-Christians raised the issue City cabinet member Annelies Vander Bracht: "We are the authorities and people insist on impartiality That's why the nativities have been returned to the cupboard." told reporters that the nativity scene could be disturbing to those who have been abused or oppressed by the Church such as gay people and victims of clergy sexual abuse: To be honest we hadn't spent too much thought on the Nativity It was all about atmosphere and cultural heritage It could be offensive to people who view it as a religious symbol or for gays." Thus we've found no evidence documenting that Holsbeek city officials removed a nativity scene from the town's municipal building solely to appease four complaining Muslims the display was removed both to avoid favoring Christianity and offending those who do not practice that faith The claim that four Muslim people were the cause of the display's removal appears to be one that intentionally plays on elements such as anti-Muslim sentiment Bethania Palma is a journalist from the Los Angeles area who has been working in the news industry since 2006 This material may not be reproduced without permission Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com 1970s brutalist house Villa Stuyven is now home to creative couple Bram Kerkhofs and Lore Baeyens providing a concrete-lined backdrop to a life of design and collaboration Based in their 1970s brutalist house, designer Bram Kerkhofs and network architect Lore Baeyens live together in Leuven, outside Brussels their 20th-century concrete home in the residential neighbourhood of Holsbeek and have transformed it into a combination of family house Designed by local architects Vanderbiest & Reynaert in 1970 for the artist and philosopher Jef Stuyven the structure has been thoroughly overhauled to accommodate Kerkhofs’s studio together with a new guest house component for artistic residencies held in collaboration with Leuven’s Cas-co art space organisation Villa Stuyven is a classic slice of Belgian brutalist architecture created during a fertile period of residential design that has withstood the test of time and continues to be much sought after The concrete house is embedded in the forest with board-marked internal and external walls paired with dark window frames white masonry internal walls and dark ceramic tiles The large windows frame beautiful views of a garden that blends seamlessly with the woodland.  the house is arranged over two-storeys; the site slopes up to a single storey at the rear giving it a very different visual character The renovation has stayed true to the original materials palette with the addition of oak flooring to complete the concrete ceilings found throughout and his furniture and accessories combine metalworking with playful architectural forms from the Coil cabinetry to ‘Les Gaufres’ a collection of modular candleholders inspired by Belgian waffles uncompromising backdrop for both Kerkhofs’ own work and the couple’s accumulation of vintage furniture pieces.  The designer’s workspace occupies Stuyven’s old art studio and the original house’s six-bedroom layout provides ample space for the visiting creatives escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox Bram-Kerkhofs.be Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999 covering everything from architecture and transport design to books He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast .css-105lg8x{display:grid;grid-auto-flow:row;grid-column-gap:var(--mb-responsive-grid-gutter);grid-row-gap:3rem;grid-auto-columns:1fr;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;max-width:89.5rem;overflow:hidden;position:relative;}@media (min-width: 22.5rem){.css-105lg8x{grid-template:auto/repeat(6 1fr));}}@media (min-width: 52.125rem){.css-105lg8x{grid-template:auto/repeat(9 1fr));}}@media (min-width: 89rem){.css-105lg8x{grid-template:auto/repeat(12 var(--mb-colour-greyscale-london-5));font-family:var(--mb-typeface-sans);font-size:var(--mb-typestyle-body-3-size);font-style:normal;font-weight:var(--mb-font-weight-light);line-height:var(--mb-typestyle-body-3-leading);font-variant:var(--mb-typestyle-body-3-figures);text-wrap:balance;}More people than ever are choosing to be cremated 1fr));}}@media (min-width: 52.125rem){.css-1uuz26i{grid-template:auto/repeat(9 1fr));}}@media (min-width: 89rem){.css-1uuz26i{grid-template:auto/repeat(12 The Crematorium Hofheide is situated in the middle of a lake in Holsbeek An elongated core of earth-coloured stone wrapped in a layer of rusty steel it appears to float on the water – although on sunny days when the sky is reflected by the surface of the lake In fact the structure sits on top of a partly buried plinth connecting the world above with the world below it won the Architizer A+ award in the Religious Buildings and Memorials category the Catalan trio who designed it in collaboration with Coussée & Goris Ousting Assad may turn out to have been easier than rebuilding the country A lawyer struggles with their conscience. New colleagues are watching  In the Central African Republic locals are learning Russian while mercenaries knock back lager The Inuit on Little Diomede are watched over by Russian soldiers. But that’s not their biggest problem in these icy badlands Registered in England and Wales. No. 236383 | Registered office: The Adelphi, 1-11 John Adam Street, London, WC2N 6HT | VAT Reg No: GB 340 436 876 Cross-disciplinary collaboration, respect for the site, soft lighting… this is a festival without the grunge In the proliferation of electronic music festivals across Europe, Belgium’s Horst stands out for its architectural stages and art installations which have equal billing with the music. Over the past five years curator Gijs Van Vaerenbergh, an artistic collaboration between architects Pieterjan Gijs and Arnout Van Vaerenbergh,  has created a distinct and unique annual festival in the grounds of 13th century Horst castle in Holsbeek. The concept behind the lighting, titled In Praise of Shadows, is a nod to the seminal essay by Junichiro Tanizaki which celebrates all things delicate and nuanced. At night, a single tungsten bulb hung above the respective stages gave an intimate feel to the throng of dancers in the warm light and shadows below – a big contrast to the harsh LED lights and strobes usually deployed in nightclub environments. Small and impeccably curated, Horst was the antithesis of big budget blow-out festivals such as Burning Man where this year Bjarke Ingels started a $50,000 crowdfunding scheme for an effectively useless giant reflective sphere, 1/500,000 the size of the Earth. It’s difficult to overstate the powerful synergy between the disciplines of music, art and architecture at Horst festival. The curators have achieved something quite remarkable and I look forward to seeing what they do next. Meneesha Kellay is the RIBA's public programme curator Sign up to receive regular briefings, updates and our weekly newsletter – all designed to bring you the best stories from RIBAJ.com updates and our weekly newsletter – all designed to bring you the best stories from RIBAJ.com in 15 different cities and more than 60 days of activity These are the numbers that summarize a long season of Valencia CF Campus in the Netherlands and Belgium which once again this year has been a complete success in an activity that is part of the Academy Programs of the Valencia CF Academy the last Valencia CF Campuses have been held in Steenbergen (Netherlands) and Lubeek (Belgium) they have taken place in 7 cities in Belgium -Wichelen Antwerp- and in 8 cities in the Netherlands -Rotterdam The more than 1,000 players had the opportunity to enjoy soccer and learn with the coaches from the Ciutat Esportiva de Paterna the working methodology of the VCF Academy the fourth best in Europe in the training of players to compete at the elite level according to the latest report of the CIES Football Observatory (+INFO) technical consultancy and the VCF Soccer Academy that the VCF Academy has in strategic markets in North America Asia and Latin America are all part of the VCF Academy's expansion process Related news Ver todas Check out all the activities scheduled for this month Valencia CF secures its presence in Seattle until 2028 through its VCF Academy Latest news Ver todas The pitch has been restored thanks to donations from LALIGA EA SPORTS and contributions to the ‘FILA CERO SOLIDARIA’ Luis Fernández-GalianoNaturalezas negras Nature in BlackWilliam J.R CurtisMateria oscura Dark MatterJosep Maria MontanerDe Olot al mundo De Olot al mundoSeis obras  Six WorksEspacio Barberí Rodez (France) Centro de arte La Cuisine Nègrepelisse (Francia)La Cuisine Art Center Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via (Francia)School Complex Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via (France) Seis proyectos  Six ProjectsMediateca Waalse Krook Bordeaux (France)Edificio de uso mixto ‘L’ilot plaza’ Burdeos (Francia)‘L’Ilot Plaza’ Mixed-use Building Burdeos (Francia) ‘GAB’ Mixed-use Building Bordeaux (France) Seis propuestas  Six ProposalsCasa para un arquitecto Nancy (France) Edificio para personas mayores dependientes Toulouse (Francia)Building for Dependant Elderly People Nancy (France)Edificio de uso mixto ‘Le jardin intérieur’ Pessac (Francia)‘Le Jardin Intérieur’ Mixed-use Building Pessac (France)Complejo mixto ‘Le triangle des écluses’ Burdeos (Francia)‘Le Triangle des Écluses’ Mixed-use Complex there arent any match using your search terms a young woman and yoga teacher from Holsbeek (Flemish Brabant) was found dead at the famous Mae Yen waterfall in northern Thailand on Saturday She only moved to Thailand a few months ago ‘She was very well known locally in Holsbeek’ says the mayor It was supposed to be a festive day in Holsbeek local athlete Noor Vidts was to be honoured on account of her bronze medal at the Paris Olympics ‘Everyone was standing there with mixed feelings and spoke to me about Cloé,’ says mayor Bram Van Baelen Cloé Ferrari had been missing since Friday her body was found at the Mae Yen waterfall Cloé had only been living in Thailand with her boyfriend for a few months ‘So sad that this has to happen to such a young woman The news has left us all stunned,’ the mayor added posted a message on Facebook to honour Cloé: ‘Our sunny Cloé shines forever in our hearts’ the structure stands as assemble’s response to historic horst castle’s restricted access  all images by jeroen verrecht in response to the historic horst castle’s entry restrictions, assemble studio has built ‘newcastle’ — borrowing the overall shape of the existing structure. the three tiered structure for horst17 utilizes a courtyard form as the theatrical space or dance floor the structure is described as an ‘english elizabethan theater’ — ‘transforming the stage from something to look at creating a more pronounced interaction between artist and performer.’ the structure is made up of scaffold and blue netting the central theater space or dance floor takes up most of the pavilion’s structure there are three tiers of standing balconies that look down at the open the pavilion is located in a clearing in the woods near the historic horst castle ‘newcastle’ is equivalent to horst castle in general mass but looks as though it is under construction visitors are able to have a real festival experience its overall appearance changes from day to night ‘horst’ is a yearly exhibition of in-situ art and architecture assemble is a london-based collective working across the fields of art the invited architect or designer is invited to redefine the concept of a musical stage two new music stages and a permanent pavilion was presented AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style Holsbeek ad Koksijde in Belgium have hosted more than 20 VCF Soccer Camps this summer consolidating the work that the VCF Academy has done in recent seasons More than 1,000 boys and between the ages of 6 and 16 enjoyed a great experience learning the methodology of the VCF Academy regarded as one of the best in Europe for training elite players “This is the ninth consecutive year we have organised VCF Soccer Camps in the Netherlands and Belgium  with the VCF Academy methodology and coaches together with local coaches,” explains Jorrick Lamers coordinator of the VCF Soccer Camps in the two countries Visiting during the camps were the heads of the VCF Academy Programs Ramón Mompó and Joan Aguado.A selection of the best players will participate in training camps that take place at the Ciudad Deportiva during the season with the option of also attending Valencia CF matches at Mestalla the VCF Academy and the VCF Soccer Camps in the Netherlands and Belgium remains firm and has been growing since it began almost a decade ago An interesting set was the one by Deena Abdelwahed. The Qatar-born artist is of Tunisian descent and studied Fine Arts in Tunis, before immersing herself in electronic music and, as her stock continues to ruse, she is now a resident at the Concrete Club in Paris. Abdelwahed played an unexpected down tempo tracks in the stage ‘The Opposite of Lost’, located nearby the dismantled edifices on an outside glade refilled with wrecks – some people would call ‘urban elements’. Her music mainly focused on the shredded rhythms and Eastern melodies complemented by tunes in which the mesmerising vocals played a leading role. Every now and then, the kick drum faded out so to draw attention to atmospheric character of the songs. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Horst (@horstartsandmusic) on Sep 14, 2019 at 7:23am PDT Worth of note is unquestionably the two-hour set of Joy Orbison and Craig Richards at the main stage. This performance was rather unconventional also because it benefited from the aesthetic of the “90*360” stage, displaying mirrors and lasers, with the result of providing some pleasant dizziness. Richards’ name is undoubtedly linked to the legendary London club Fabric. We got there while Richards only played with vinyl alternating elegant breaks with acid tracks. Both DJs favor the bass side of electronic music, with Richards making more straightforward selections, while Joy Orbison sometimes played a rave or amen-break. As cherry on the pie, we needed to pay a visit to Gabber Eleganza, to understand a bit more how this music genre, lately out of fashion, has potential for a comeback. The Berlin based DJ together with five gabber dancers transformed the ‘Ceiling For A Crater’ stage, built in a concrete pit, into a true symphony of pure hardcore 180 bpm tunes. Horst Arts & Music festival attracted around 15000 festivalgoers in three days last weekend. The festival showcased sixty music artists and displayed various artworks from twelve artists for the ‘Fallen Empires Refound Desires’ exhibition. Worth of mention is solely the artwork by Emeka Ogboh, a Nigerian artist, who showcased with his renowned installation The Way Earthly Things are Going within the disabled cooling tower. A wide LCD screen displaying a live-stream of stock exchange indexes from around the world, in dialogue with an encompassing 12-channel sound installation of a polyphonic Greek female group Pleiades, bringing the lament When I forget, I am Glad – an empowering work reflecting on forced migration, exile and the makeability of one’s own life. At first sight, the abandoned area with its twenty warehouses and a maze of corridors that hosted the festival would need a restoration, but the fact that it has been taken over by nature, makes it feel like a green oasis between industry and the city. Because the festival was crowded on Saturdays, it also showed some drawbacks. For instance, queues were unavoidable to grab a fresh drink.  Finally, the Horst format remained the same like in past editions, allowing electronic music and art to genuinely blend one into each other. For those who like art in the broadest sense, see you next year! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Horst (@horstartsandmusic) on Sep 14 gays and victims of church abuseA former leader claimed the decision was made because the scene is "too provocative" A TOWN in Belgium won't be enjoying a traditional nativity this year in case the scene offends Muslim residents The municipality of Kortrijk-Dutse in Holsbeek is accused of scrapping its Christmas plans because the scene may be "too provocative" for the Muslims living there - none of whom are understood to have complained said Holsbeek's politically correct officials made the decision "because the nativity would be too provocative for Muslims" - a decision he slammed as "utter nonsense." The former leader told De Morgen: "There are maybe only four Muslims living in town and they would never complain that there is a nativity scene in city hall." She said the decision was solely down to a need to separate the church and the state She added: "To be as neutral as possible we took away the nativity scene "Gays or victims of paedophile priests would not be too thrilled by a symbol of the church either "Let's keep it in the private sphere." We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ The 22-year-old has been linked with a move to Old Trafford with Jose Mourinho seemingly struggling to sign further reinforcements Manchester United will need to pay over €25 million to sign Anderlecht defensive midfielder Leander Dendoncker according to the Belgian club's sporting director Herman van Holsbeek Man Utd to go unbeaten in the PL - 125/1 featured twice in the Belgian side's Europa League clashes with United and gave a good account of himself leading to reports that Jose Mourinho is an admirer of the youngster It has been said that Mourinho has sent scouts to monitor Dendoncker's progress amid a seemingly difficult transfer window for United who are struggling to tie up deals for Ivan Perisic and Nemanja Matic Mourinho could turn to Dendoncker as an alternative to Matic in midfield and Anderlecht director Holsbeek has made things simple with regards to being open about the club's valuation of one of their most prized assets "We want to cherish him," Holsbeek told Het Belang van Limburg "but if a club is willing to pay between €25m and €35m then we have a problem Real Madrid & Man Utd & 2017-18's new kits "He showed twice against Manchester United that he has the potential to play at a top European club "We are lucky that the Champions League does not start until September otherwise we definitely would have lost him "We would like to see Leander stay here for one more season and work together on a transfer for next summer – just as we did with [Youri] Tielemans [who this summer joined Monaco]." Vierwindenbinnenhof © Willy Van Der Meeren / Onroerend Erfgoed / Hilde Kennes Stuff Crush • Publications Due to unbridled success following its 2012 launch, including a billing as one of the ‘Six of Belgium’s Best Travel Guides’, publishing house Luster have released a new edition of Best Buildings – Belgium fusing a mix of well-known contemporary buildings with historical must-sees and plenty of less obvious architectural gems the paperback book—written in Dutch and English—is compact and serves as a pocket guide for all archi-lovers who are making tracks to Belgium With buildings (completed after 1900) selected by renowned Belgian architects and architectural experts—including Leo Van Broeck and Christian Kieckens—their name and short text accompany a photo; a mix of new lists and buildings incorporated into the new edition From Antwerp’s Museum aan de Stroom (MAS) to Ettore Sottass’s Mourmans House Best Buildings – Belgium spans projects by critically-acclaimed historical masters to renowned starchitects yet is at its best when turning out offbeat gems like Louis Herman De Koninck’s modernist Berteaux House or the Logis district typical of urban designers’ concern for rebuilding cities destroyed after World War I with space for greenery and an eye on improving social issues @lusterbooks Library Schoten © Renaat Braem / Roel Hendrickx Stadscampus UHasselt © noAarchitecten / Kim Zwarts Le Logis Cité Jardin Watermaal-Bosvoorde © Jean-Jules Eggericx / Jean-Paul Remy Sint-Rita church © Leon Stynen / GTL Studio / Thibault Van den Bossche ULG Campus Sart-Tilman © Charles Vandenhove / Joram Van Holen Crematorium Holsbeek © Coussée & Goris / Hisao Suzuki , , , , Step behind the neo-gothic façade—one hundred escutcheons and statues representing Belgium and its provinces—of a former Ghent post office and bathe in the magical postcard-perfect views of the surrounding city and.. Revered the world over for flamboyant boulevards and ornate architecture it will never be first off the tongue when one is prompted to name a city with a distinctive legacy of brutalist architecture Frederik Vercruysse is a photographer drawn to the romance of composition his melancholic images singular in a world of street photography and freneticism The Belgian photographer sees beauty in the mundane The outstanding architectural legacy left by Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris is undoubtedly one of the 20th century's most significant inadvertently triggering the Brutalist movement Located within London's Westfield Stratford City decidedly decadent diner Super Club Roma serves up Roman-style pizzas (complete with their crispy and charred crusts) and fritti including lasagne spaghetti and nduja bombs; the simple menu allowing.. Lifestyle brand Miiro continues its expansion with the opening of Borneta a breathtaking new hotel for Barcelona's charismatic El Born neighbourhood Located among the iconic Porxos de Fontseré arches the design tells a story of local tradition.. With a striking 1970s Brutalism-meets-botany aesthetic and a rooftop bar and taqueria with extensive views over this vast city The Hoxton Brussels offers a stylish and eclectic stay in the Belgian.. Holloway Li has completed the remodelling of Club Quarters Hotel St Paul’s the 265-room property embracing the architectural integrity of the original mid-century structure nodding to post-war modernism along the way © 2025 About Us Advertising Privacy Policy Write for We Heart Get in Touch We Heart is an online magazine founded in 2007 the platform evolved over time to feature inspiring places and spaces Over the years we have been committed to producing content that inspires and informs our readers; having broadened our content policy to mature into a more general lifestyle magazine that has kept itself rooted in our beginnings whilst covering a multitude of subjects that reflect our growth.