Introducing PLANOPLI: the travel agency for art and architecture lovers
Planopli is a travel agency for art and architecture enthusiasts, founded in 2017 by Dominique Pieters, an architect, lecturer and author with over 25 years of experience organising and guiding contemporary architecture tours.
Planopli plans architectural tours and folds log guides that bring to life an impressive range of outstanding architectural examples from the 20th and 21st centuries. These tours are tailored for art and architecture lovers, providing exclusive access to artist studios, private residences and other architectural gems usually closed to the public. It also allows the participants to meet with local architects, artists and experts, creating meaningful connections within the local architectural community and among the travellers, that can lead to cross-border cooperation.
Planopli offers two different types of tours that are tailored to meet the preferences of their clientele: the ready-made and the tailor-made tours.
READY-MADE TOURS
The 'ready-made' group tours are made for individuals and are curated to showcase art and architecture, providing enriching experiences through exclusive access and expert-guided exploration.
Within this category, travellers can choose between standard trips and extended journeys, which offer deeper exploration including optional extensions, such as additional crossings to neighbouring cities.
Each trip option accommodates different preferences—from economical, adventurous trips with backpacks and public transport to luxurious experiences with premium transport and refined logistics.
TAILOR-MADE TOURS
Planopli’s 'tailor-made' tours are crafted to fulfill the specific art and architecture needs of companies, institutions, associations or even een group of friends. Made in close consultation with the client in terms of location, duration, time and price, these journeys are designed with attention to detail, accommodating unique requirements and objectives, whether for professional development, team-building or specialised cultural exploration.
UPCOMING READY-MADE TOURS 2024-2025
- ArgenChile
07 - 19 December 2024.
Inscriptions possible until 31 August 2024.
With Pritzker Prize winner Alejandro Aravena and the refreshing architecture of Smiljan Radic as a guide, planopli goes in search of architectural emotion in the region where Argentina and Chile border each other, or where dreamy wine production houses come face to face with social commitment.
The journey goes from coast to coast: after visits to the Chilean cities of Los Vilos, Valparaíso, Racangua and Santiago de Chile, we cross the Aconcagua-dominated Andes to wine paradise Mendoza and then take an inland flight to Buenos Aires.
Along the way, projects in Argentina stand out from the hands of luminaries Le Corbusier, sir Norman Foster and Santiago Calatrava, as well as local heroes such as Adamo Faiden, a4 estudio, Tom Hughes + Fernando Raganato + Eugenia Mora, Juan Ignacio Ramos and PLANTA and, in Chile, by Emilio Duhart, Izquierdo-Lehmann arquitectos, Cristián Undurraga, Sebastián Irarrazaval, HLPS Arquitectos and Felipe Assadi + Francisca Pulido and, of course, by Smiljan Radic and Alejandro Aravena, among others.
- India and Bangladesh
February 2025.
Inscriptions possible until 1 October 2024.
Chandigarh was the impetus for this architectural quest. What remains and lingers after that quest is the feeling of having discovered essence. Architectural, cultural and human essence. It will not be a tourist trip. An important part of the architecture itinerary goes to cities that are hardly, if at all, covered in guidebooks.
A walk in wonder through a country with a history, a whirling mass, a hectic dynamism, abject poverty next to disgusting wealth, a living past with an alienating future. The trip will cross historic buildings as well as modernism and contemporary work. It will include a visit to the work of Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn, Charles Correa, Balkrishna Doshi, Matharoo, Bimal Hasmukh Patel, Sir Edwin Lutyens, Raj Rewal, Joseph Allen Stein, Aditya Prakash.
- Côte d’Azur
24 April - 01 May 2025.
Inscriptions possible until 15 January 2025.
The Côte d’Azur brings to mind many golden sands, azure waters, beautiful islands and rugged cliffs. Above all, it is a magical place bursting with architectural gems.
Villa E-1207, the icon of Irish architect and furniture designer Eileen Gray, is just one of the many reasons to discover the architecture on the French Riviera.
- Japan
- Nippon - World Expo 2025
April 2025.
Inscriptions possible until 1 October 2024.
The Japan trip will be a balanced blend of contemporary, traditional and modern architecture. But culture, nature, art and Japanese life are also present. Planopli travels for a fortnight through the land of the rising sun, ending in Osaka where the World Expo will have started by then. This standard journey can be extended by an additional, in-depth week: the extended journey. - Seto Inland Sea — Setouchi Art Triennial
November 2025
Inscriptions possible until 1 May 2025.
As in 2024, planopli is also offering a triptych of art-architecture trips in 2025. One in spring in our own country (that will most probably be Ronse), one in summer within Europe (we are currently aiming at Basel) and finally this trip to Japan as the intercontinental finale. With the Setouchi Biennale as our guiding light….
- Nippon - World Expo 2025
ABOUT PLANOPLI
Planopli was born out of Dominique’s dedication to organising and guiding architecture tours, a journey that began during her time as an architecture student when she organised architecture tours within her research group. She then continued this activity as deputy editor at a Dutch architecture magazine and later as art director at an open architecture organisation. Now renowed professional clients such as architecture studio Robbrecht en Daem, commercial alliance Archimundo and open architecture npo Archipel rely on planopli to plot their team building and/or study trips.
Dominique Pieters leads a diverse and skilled team, including interior architect Hanne Platteeuw, architects Eva Lo and Loes Decruynaere, engineer-architect with expertise in urbanism Renaud Baeckelandt and landscape architect Michel Pauwels. Supported by an IATA expert and a media specialist, this team combines expertise and passion to create unique travel experiences. Depending on the trip's focus, Planopli also collaborates with freelance tour guides, such as lecturers, engineers and art historians, ensuring a rich and educational journey for all participants.
Planopli’s strategy is centered around surprising content, meticulous planning, a team of travel curators with diverse expertise, continuous support from carefully selected expert guides for each trip and coordination with local experts.