Philippe Rotthier, a patron and philanthropist committed to building a sustainable world
The origins of the Fund
With a lifelong passion for architecture and its interaction with the environment, the landscape and the way people use it, Philippe Rotthier crossed paths with the Foundation for Future Generations and came to share its ambitions.
The Philippe Rotthier Fund for Future Generations was born. It was the first named fund hosted by the Foundation for Future Generations.
In these times of multiple crises, Philippe Rotthier’s philanthropic approach stands out. His is a form of “rational” and “transformative” philanthropy -a highly contemporary approach that goes beyond emotion and short-term urgency to help society embrace a “360°” vision and approach, essential to sustainable development.
Through his trust in the Foundation for Future Generations, Philippe Rotthier encourages other patrons and philanthropists to take action today for the benefit of generations to come.
In 2010, at the Foundation’s suggestion, Philippe Rotthier decided to create an award for future architects - the HERA Award Sustainable Architecture - to encourage them to address the challenges facing the planet and its inhabitants through a “360°” approach.
In 2014, inspired by the development of HERA (Higher Education & Research Awards for Future Generations) academic excellence awards programme, this philanthropist at heart decided to create a fund to ensure HERA’s long-term future and support its continued development.
The Fund’s activities
The Philippe Rotthier Fund for Future Generations has an endowment of €600,000.
In accordance with its founder’s wishes, the lifespan of this "spend-down" fund is estimated at around fifteen years.
It is based on the principle of using the annual income generated by the capital, combined with the gradual spending of the capital itself. This approach provides more substantial and consistent support to the project funded.
In practice, the Fund:
The Fund’s specific purpose is to finance the HERA programme and its various components. In doing so, it guarantees the continuation of the "HERA Award Sustainable Architecture" excellence award for the 15 years following its creation.
Over this period, it will have recognised and showcased nearly 80 young architects, as well as around 30 doctoral researchers from all disciplines.
Who is Philippe Rotthier?
Born in 1941, Philippe Rotthier is a Belgian architect and graduate of La Cambre. In 1973, he settled on the island of Ibiza, where he designed and restored around 80 houses in a vernacular style. His design approach and work have been featured in various publications.
He travelled extensively, exploring a wide variety of forms of housing. In 1986, he founded the Foundation for Architecture in Brussels, which has since awarded the triennial Philippe Rotthier European Prize for Architecture.
He is also the founder of the Archives of Modern Architecture and the Architecture Museum - La Loge in Brussels, dedicated to contemporary creation.
Fund Type and Management Committee
The Philippe Rotthier Fund is a named fund hosted by the Foundation for Future Generations. The Foundation enthusiastically welcomed its first "named fund", aimed at strengthening our capacity to pass on a liveable world to future generations.
The Fund is managed by a Management Committee that brings together the founder, one of his grandchildren and the Director of the Foundation for Future Generations once a year.
The Fund does not have a separate legal personality, and its financial assets form part of those of the Foundation. They are managed according to ethical principles by the Foundation's Finance Committee.µ