The Longevity conference "Lang Zal U Wonen" return to Ostend in 2026

The future of housing and care

Our society faces a major demographic challenge: in Belgium, there are now more people aged 65 and over than young people under the age of 18. This shift calls for a radical rethink of how we plan, build and live together. The ‘Lang Zal U Wonen’ conference serves as the key forum for presenting groundbreaking visions of housing in this new reality.

The aim of the organiser, Utoria vzw, is clear: to build a society where people can continue to live long, healthy and fulfilling lives, whilst respecting the planet and every generation. During this second edition, professionals will be given an exclusive preview of the future of affordable, scalable and climate-neutral housing concepts.

Leading (inter)national speakers on stage

The 2026 line-up promises to be of a high standard once again, featuring more than ten inspiring speakers from both home and abroad. Although the full list is still being finalised, these names are already central to the development of our vision:

• Patrick Janssens – Vice Mayor for Housing and Urban Development for the City of Antwerp, Chairman of Woonhaven and Chairman of Initia.
• Brecht Van de Kerckhove – Director at Atelier Romain (research and design agency).
• Sara Casteur – General Manager at Woonsprong.
• Benjamin Denef – MSc. Eng. Architect, CEO and Founder of DMOA Architects, Maggie Program vzw, and BRUNO vzw.
• Karel Versyp – Co-founder and CEO of Coloc Housing.
• Peter Vermeulen – MSc. Eng. Architect, Urban Planner, and expert in co-housing.
• Sjuul Cluitmans – Architect and Partner at SOME ARCHITECTS.
• Joeri Bal – CEO of Heem.
• Stefan Danschutter – R&D Expert at Buildwise and Engineer-Architect.
• Wout Maddens – Vice Mayor for Housing and Urban Renewal for the City of Kortrijk and Chairman of Intercommunale Leiedal.
• Lorenzo Van Tornhaut – CEO of Volus, Guest Lecturer at KU Leuven, and columnist for De Tijd.
• Pascal De Decker – Professor Emeritus at the Faculty of Architecture (KU Leuven) and member of the Flemish Older Persons’ Council.
• Luc Lampaert – Advisor on alternative housing forms at the Knowledge Centre for Health, Housing, and Care (Brussels).

A unique venue: De Grote Post

The conference will take place in the heart of the city: De Grote Post. This former post office building is not only an architectural gem, but with its unique atmosphere and modern facilities, it offers the perfect setting for a conference of this calibre. Its central location in Ostend, combined with the salty sea air, creates an inspiring environment that encourages networking and knowledge-sharing among the more than 300 professionals expected to attend.

Practical

Date: 19 May 2026

Venue: De Grote Post, Ostend

Target audience: Professionals in housing, construction, healthcare, policy and architecture