Solar architecture: the Sunsoak Design

At a time when cities are seeking rapid, visible and effective solutions to the energy transition, Sunsoak Design promotes a simple idea: solar energy should no longer be a discreet addition installed at the end of a project, but rather a true architectural gesture. For the past ten years, its founder, Jean-Didier Steenackers, has been developing an approach in Brussels and internationally that transforms photovoltaic systems into expressive structures, capable of both producing energy and reshaping a building, a façade or a public space. For ARCHITECT@WORK Brussels, Mister Emma met with him.

Sunsoak Design is celebrating its 10th anniversary. How did the idea of “solar machines” come about?

For a long time, architecture was mainly about protecting us from the elements. Today, we also need to learn how to harness them. A “solar machine” is not just photovoltaic technology: it represents a new generation of systems where energy becomes expressive. We no longer start from an available roof, but from a solar resource, a site, an optimal form of capture that engages in a dialogue with the architecture. These structures are often more powerful than a conventional installation, while remaining quick to implement and minimally intrusive.

You quickly began collaborating with major international firms. How did that come about?

There are two major centres of solar architecture in Europe, and Belgium is one of them. That is what struck me when I was working in Paris. When I returned here, I began connecting this Belgian expertise with major firms in London, Paris and Amsterdam. Over time, relationships of trust were built, particularly with the teams of Jean Nouvel, Shigeru Ban and Renzo Piano. It was actually during the development of the CERN Science Gateway that the expression “solar machine” really took shape. That’s when I realised Sunsoak Design needed to be created to support this emerging demand: integrating technology from the very first architectural gesture.

You work internationally, but also in Belgium. Is there a flagship project here?

Yes - the solar extension of Place Rogier, developed with Ney & Partners. It is a project I’m particularly proud of, because it responded to a lack of identity within a very strong urban context. We proposed a visible, elegant solar crown, oriented to the south. It was also a regulatory challenge, as this kind of intervention does not fit into any conventional urban planning category. But it demonstrates that it is possible to bring a rapid, powerful and architectural energy upgrade to an existing building. Today, we are trying to replicate this model elsewhere in Brussels, notably with Central Plaza and at ULB.

How do you see the future?

The real shift will not be technological alone - it will also be behavioural. As long as solar remains an add-on applied at the end of a project simply to tick a box, we are missing the point. The logic needs to be reversed: first capture local resources - sun, geothermal energy, wind - then design an architecture that aligns with them. Energy then becomes a matter of design. In the current geopolitical context, the issue is also one of dependency and over-centralisation. Producing locally, distributing resources, giving users an active role again - these are now as much architectural concerns as they are technical ones.

You are also publishing a book, Solar Machines.

It is a way of sharing what I’ve seen and learned over the years while working with major European firms. The book brings together interviews, references and design narratives. It is accompanied by video clips that extend this reflection on solar architecture.

Through Sunsoak Design, Jean-Didier Steenackers advocates a strong conviction: the energy transition will not be driven by numbers alone, but also by form. And if solar energy is set to reshape our built environments in a lasting way, it must be given real architectural ambition. This will be discussed on stage at ARCHITECT@WORK Brussels, where Jean-Didier Steenackers will speak on Wednesday 20 May 2026 at 15:00.