Book a lecture

Is your professional organisation interested in penological trends and issues? Do you want to know more about a new concept of sentence implementation in Belgium? Do you want a topical subject on your calendar?

We have several possible speakers among our members: Hans Claus (prison director and human rights activist), Lieven Nollet photographer and president of The Houses), Prof. Dr. Ronald De Meyer (architect), Helene Devos (criminologist), Marjan Gryson (psychologist and social entrepreneur), ...

Book a lecture by e-mail at info@dehuizen.be.

The price per lecture is 150 €.


Past events

European conference ‘Rescaled’

Panel “Fewer bars, more people. The prisons of the future”

14-12-2018 - Gent, festival van de gelijkheid

Huizen On Tour

  • Brussel - 27-11-2018
  • Anzegem - 24-10-2018
  • Zottegem - 18-10-2018


Débat “La prison et la ville”
21-04-2018
Liège

Après le dossier “prison et territoire” dans Dérivations, Hans Claus participe à un débat autour le thème “la prison et la ville”, dans le cadre de la Foire sur la ville et l’architecture, pour le festival “Avril en Ville”.

Debate on small-scale detention of the students Association of Criminology at UGent
28-03-2018
Ghent

Helene De Vos from The Houses took part in a debate organized by the Student Association Lombrosiana of Criminology at UGent.

French national colloquium on reintegration after a prison sentence of “La Fraternité des prisons Le Bon small drainage canal” in support of detainees
24-03-2018
Paris

Around Prison-deprivation of liberty in the year 2018 +
21-03-2018
Waregem

Hans Claus presented in the name of The Houses the results of the year long multidisciplinary thinking, computing and drawing work, in The cultural centre in Waregem. More info here.

Seminar “Entrepreneurship at the reintegration of young ex-offenders”
20 & 21-03-2018
Paris

This seminar, co-organized by Foundation de France, resulted in a report with recommendations from the Law Commission of France.

Reflexion day Farapej “Prisons today and tomorrow: from reality to a prison Utopia”
17-03-2018
Paris

Performance on general meeting Rode Antraciet
14-03-2018
Leuven

National prison days in Brussels - debate ‘The future of prison’
21-11-2017

CAAP Day of reflection on rehabilitation
31-04-2017

Huizen On Tour Ieper
20-04-2017
CC Perron

Workshop at the International Correctional Research Symposium
28/03/2017
Het Pand Gent

Sarah Holbrouck receives an award for her master thesis
25/01/2017

Debat Utopia ‘Between action and dream’
16/01/2016
Leuven

Utopia, or how we want to deal with crime and punishment, prison and incarceration? How do we look at the relationship between victims and perpetrators? And how do we look to the future? How do we imagine all of this in a utopian world? In the panel discussion “Utopia ... also for crime and punishment?’, Marjan Gryson (The Houses), Kristel Buntinx (Moderator) and journalist Saskia Van Nieuwenhove offer intriguing alternatives, and exciting future prospects. Moderator is Fatma Taspinar

Press conference
9-01-2017

Huizen On Tour Gent
14-12-2016
Campo Gent

The concept of detention houses is explained in an amusing evening by an alternation of talks with some jailsongs by Marijn Devalck, together with a short documentary film about detention houses. The speakers include Hans Claus (secretary of The Houses), Marjan Gryson (Touché), Prof. Dr. Ronald De Meyer (Prof. architecture UGent).

Debate ‘What is the use of prisons?’
3-12-2016
Vooruit Gent

Hans Claus (secretary of The Houses), Hans Meurisse (Director-General of the Belgian prison system), Walter Van Steenbrugge, Christine Mussche and Helene De Vos (researcher Institute of Criminology KUL) debate the usefulness of prisons. Koen Vidal (De Morgen) was moderator.

Workshop at the International conference Society for Terrorism Research ‘Counter-Terrorism Research & Practice: Addressing Key Societal Challenges’
7 & 8/11/2016
Den Haag, Nederland

Consultation round with ACV
10 & 11/2016

Lecture on national study day Protestant and Evangelical chaplains
22/10/2016
OCPP Marneffe

Panel discussion expertmeeting TAAK
27/09/2016
Amsterdam, Nederland

International seminar ‘Reducing prison population’
19/04/2016
KULeuven / International society for criminology

Study day ‘Community oriented custody’
19-02-2016
Commission Room Federal Parliament
In collaboration with Centre for policing and security

Lecture HVV Pajottenland
18-12-2015

Guest lecture Department of Criminology UGent
25-11-2015

Guest lecture Department of Criminology VUB
3-11-2015

Lecture retreat group Oedelem
28-10-2015

Workshop international conference GoodYouthPrison
16-10-2015
Amsterdam, Nederland

Lecture Protective Committee prison Leuven-Centraal
28-09-2015

Visit and consultation FPC Gent
16-09-2015

Small Talk Flemish Architect about the detention concept of The Houses
28-05-2015

Presentation of detention houses
26-11-2014
Dossin Kazerne Mechelen

Press conference Central Supervisory Authority prison system
13-11-2014

Lecture ‘The future of detention in Belgium’
19-06-2014
In collaboration with Vormingplus
Prison Mechelen

We look at life in prison, how it used to be, how it is now and how it might look in the future. We’ll listen to Marc Rubben, who tells the story about the history of the prison in Mechelen. A witness brings the story about his experience in prison. He describes how he experienced the life within the four walls. Also we invite Hans Claus, Director of the prison in Oudenaarde and secretary of The Houses. He pleads for small-scaled detention houses, in which detainees are accompanied to their re-integration into society. An evening with different stories and views on a very topical theme.

Lecture ‘From prison to detention houses’
28-04-2014
In collaboration with Vormingplus
De Werf, Aalst

Not a month goes by without the prisons the news. Overcrowding, riots, escapes, kidnappings ... The political answer is often the same: build onto it even more cells. But this is the right and only remedy? Should we not rather dare to question the way we organize detention? Hans Claus, prison director in Oudenaarde, human rights activist and secretary of The Houses, set an innovative, sustainable approach of detention. Small scale in this concept is essential. In this way, with a more personal approach of the “residents/detainees” the reintegration in the society is prepared. No doubt this vision leads to a fascinating conversation.

Study day ‘Des (nouvelles) prisons ET APRES?’
15-03-2014
ULB

Formation and debate ‘Hidden conflict’ / ‘Images in the margin’
21 & 23-02-2014
CIAP Hasselt

Art raises social questions. Lieven Nollet is as an artist-photographer strongly engaged to its subject and used an artistic visual language to show this commitment. Lieven Nollet is also Chairman of The Houses, a concept for future detention. Utopian or not? What role plays art? What can art do in and with the world? Lieven Nollet (artist photographer), Marc Van den Bossche (philosopher VUB) and Hans Claus (prison director and artist) debate on these topics. The debate is moderated by Niels Klerkx (lector culture studies UHasselt).

Lecture ‘Prisons of the 19th and the 21st century’
12-02-2014
OC Boerenpoort kapel Melsele
In collaboration with Vormingplus

The prison of Ghent is 152 years. An ideal time to look back on the ins and outs of a prison in the nineteenth century. Luc Stas is prison director in Ghent and is therefore well placed for an explanation of the history of prisons in Belgium. Hans Claus is prison director in Oudenaarde and co-author of ‘The Houses’ that calls for a different approach…

Lecture Rotary Kluisbergen
30-01-2014

Lecture research and practice prison study
20-12-2013
VUB

Lecture Davidsfonds Maarkedal
12-12-2013

Lecture CAW Brugge
28-11-2013

Lecture Perspectief Mechelen
26-11-2013

Lecture Damesclub Ronse
20-11-2013

Lecture Crimi Alumni UGent
05-11-2013

Lecture Cafe Detinee prison Leuven Hulp
24-10-2013

Guest lecture Department of CriminologyVUB
21-10-2013

Lecture Vrijzinnig Centrum Ronse
30-09-2013

Lecture Vormingplus Oudenaarde
24-09-2013

Lecture Curieus Mechelen
19-09-2013

Study day ‘From prison to detention house’
6-03-2013
De Factorij Schaarbeek
In collaboration with ASP Editions, Uitgeverij Politeia en the League for Human Rights

Study day ‘Detention in the 21th century. Toward a differentiated sentence implementation’
23-02-2012
VUB