After many wanderings, the journey ends here.
Laurent Ney (born April 8, 1964).
Photo: Der-Niederrheiner
I could hardly imagine a more appropriate ending to this adventure than a post on a man that I admire ever since our very first meeting twenty years ago. At the time he was a young engineer who had created his own office 4 years earlier after having worked for 8 years ‘under the wings’ of René Greisch.
Photo: Nick-D
I was appointed in 2003 as Managing Director of the Staalinfocentrum (now: Infosteel) and together with my team, we decided to start a new magazine, called Staal-Acier. The magazine was a tool for promoting steel as a building material with both engineers and architects. We thought it was a good idea to focus in each edition on one architect or engineer who , to our humble opinion, understood the qualities and possibilities of steel as a structural element in buildings or infrastructure.
Photo: © Ney & Partners
I remember the interview very well, because Laurent made a huge impression on me. He spoke very quietly, almost in a shy way. But the message was loud and clear: he knew exactly why and how he used steel in his designs. He saw both the structural advantages and esthaetic qualities of steel. Strength and elegance go hand in hand in all designs co-designed by Ney & Partners. Moreover, in his designs, he always challenges steel to the limit of what is technically feasible, ultimately arriving at an almost minimalist use of it. Less is more is definitely not a cliché in the hands of Laurent Ney.
Photo: © Ney & Partners
The list of beautiful projects of Laurent Ney & his office is endless, I have selected some pictures but there is so much more to be discovered in their website. By the way Laurent: I forgive you your recent love of wood. That does not alter the fact that steel was your first love, and to this day you still regularly blow us away with your beautiful steel bridges, canopies and other gems in steel.
About the Author:
Bruno Dursin – Managing Director at Believe in Steel. Bruno has more than 30 years of experience in promoting steel & steel solutions. His clients benefit from his extensive network within the building industry.
