Personal profile
Expertise
Matthijs Degraeve is a postdoctoral researcher at the Departments of History (SHOC - Social History of Capitalism) and Architectural Engineering at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He has a PhD in History and a master’s degree in the Conservation of Monuments and Sites.
As of October 2022, he works as an FWO postdoctoral researcher within the project ‘Plumbing The City’, studying the historical development of urban sanitary governance, domestic water use and the plumbing trade in Brussels, London and Paris (1850-1940). In 2021, he obtained a PhD within the interdisciplinary research project ‘Building Brussels’, where he performed an urban- and business-historical study on construction enterprises and their relationship with the transforming urban space of Brussels (1830-1970). It was awarded the Best Dissertation Prize (2019-2021) at the 23rd Annual Congress of the European Business History Association.
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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FWOTM1101: Plumbing the City. The regulation of sanitary installers in urban Europe (1850-1940)
Degraeve, M. (Mandate), Ryckbosch, W. (Administrative Promotor) & Wouters, I. (Co-Promotor)
1/10/22 → 30/09/26
Project: Fundamental
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IRP7_b: Re-building Brussels (1695-2025): the construction sector as an engine for social inclusion and circularity
Wouters, I. (Administrative Promotor), Van de Voorde, S. (Co-Promotor), De Temmerman, N. (Co-Promotor), Deneweth, H. (Co-Promotor), Ryckbosch, W. (Co-Promotor), Ryckewaert, M. (Co-Promotor), Bassens, D. (Co-Promotor), da Silva Rodrigues, K. (Collaborator), Baumgartner, J. (Collaborator), Huba, L. (Collaborator), Reyniers, L. (Collaborator) & Degraeve, M. (Collaborator)
1/07/21 → 30/06/28
Project: Fundamental
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IRP7_a: Building Brussels. Brussels city builders and the production of space, 1794-2015
Wouters, I. (Administrative Promotor), Wouters, I. (Co-Promotor), Bertels, I. (Co-Promotor), Bertels, I. (Administrative Promotor), Deneweth, H. (Co-Promotor), Ryckewaert, M. (Co-Promotor), Scholliers, P. (Co-Promotor), Sosnowska, P. (Co-Promotor), Van de Voorde, S. (Co-Promotor), van Heur, B. (Co-Promotor), Verdonck, A. (Co-Promotor) & Degraeve, M. (Administrative Promotor)
1/07/16 → 30/06/21
Project: Fundamental
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SRP27: SRP (Groeiers): The cradle of modernity? Social dynamics in the cities of Brabant and Flanders in a comparative and long-term perspective, 1350-1914
Winter, A. (Administrative Promotor), Buylaert, F. (Co-Promotor), Baguet, J. (Collaborator), De Koster, M. (Collaborator), Ryckbosch, W. (Collaborator), Van den Broeck, N. (Collaborator), Verbeke, A. (Collaborator), Feys, T. (Collaborator), Deneweth, H. (Collaborator), Horemans, B. (Collaborator), Plettinck, G. (Collaborator), Adriaens, M. (Collaborator), Wauters, R. (Collaborator), Vermeesch, G. (Collaborator), Vanruysseveldt, V. (Collaborator), Vervaeke, A. A. (Collaborator), Everaert, J. (Collaborator), Erkul, A. (Collaborator), Volkov, V. (Collaborator), Coppens, A. (Collaborator), Debackere, E. (Collaborator), Verbruggen, T. (Collaborator), Loockx, K. (Collaborator), Beeckaert, E. (Collaborator), Saelens, W. (Collaborator), Leloup, W. (Collaborator), Degraeve, M. (Collaborator) & Schepers, M. (Collaborator)
1/03/14 → 28/02/19
Project: Fundamental
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Au-delà de l'anecdote. Pour un tournant critique dans l'étude de la toponymie bruxelloise
Degryse, I., Wayens, B., Kesteloot, C., Degraeve, M. & De Vriese, D., 23 Mar 2026, Les noms de lieux à Bruxelles. Enjeux passés et présents. Degryse, I., Wayens, B., Kesteloot, C., De Vriese, D. & Degraeve, M. (eds.). Brussels: Editions de l'Université libre de Bruxelles, p. 19-37 20 p. (BSI Series (Brussels Studies Institute)).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Brussel, stad van makers en bouwers
Degraeve, M., 23 Mar 2026, Brusselse plaatsnamen. Uitdagingen van vroeger en nu. Degryse, I., Wayens, B., Kesteloot, C., De Vriese, D. & Degraeve, M. (eds.). Leuven: Leuven University Press, p. 181-194 14 p. (BSI Series (Brussels Studies Institute)).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Brusselse plaatsnamen. Uitdagingen van vroeger en nu
Degryse, I. (Editor), Wayens, B. (Editor), Kesteloot, C. (Editor), De Vriese, D. (Editor) & Degraeve, M. (Editor), 23 Mar 2026, Leuven: Leuven University Press. 280 p. (BSI Series (Brussels Studies Institute))Research output: Book/Report › Book › Research
Open Access -
Bruxelles, ville de constructeurs et de bâtisseurs
Degraeve, M., 23 Mar 2026, Les noms de lieux à Bruxelles. Enjeux passés et présents. Degryse, I., Wayens, B., Kesteloot, C., De Vriese, D. & Degraeve, M. (eds.). Brussels: Editions de l'Université libre de Bruxelles, p. 181-195 15 p. (BSI Series (Brussels Studies Institute); no. 5).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Les noms de lieux à Bruxelles. Enjeux passés et présents
Degryse, I. (Editor), Wayens, B. (Editor), Kesteloot, C. (Editor), De Vriese, D. (Editor) & Degraeve, M. (Editor), 23 Mar 2026, Brussels: Editions de l'Université libre de Bruxelles. 324 p. (BSI Series (Brussels Studies Institute); no. 5)Research output: Book/Report › Book › Research
Open Access
Prizes
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European Business History Association (EBHA) Best Dissertation Prize
Degraeve, M. (Recipient), 23 Jun 2022
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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EUTOPIA Researcher Mobility Grant
Degraeve, M. (Recipient), 7 Mar 2023
Prize: Fellowship awarded competitively
Activities
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Circularities in Material, Building, and Business Practices (19th-20th Centuries)
Degraeve, M. (Organiser), Wouters, I. (Organiser), Jensen-Eriksen, N. (Participant), Toivanen, K. (Participant), Tikka, K. (Participant), Reyniers, L. (Participant), Baumgartner, J. (Participant), Huyghebaert, I. (Participant), Van Holen, L. (Participant) & Cools, J. (Participant)
31 Mar 2026Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar
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Bruxelles, ville de constructeurs et de bâtisseurs
Degraeve, M. (Speaker)
1 Apr 2026Activity: Talk or presentation › Talk at a public lecture/debate
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Social History of Capitalism Seminar: Unequal mountains? Political inclusion, commons and local finances in central-northern Italy
Degraeve, M. (Organiser), Ongaro, G. (Participant) & Di Tullio, M. (Participant)
25 Jun 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar
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Regen, risico’s en rioleringen. Omgaan met overstromingen binnenshuis in Brussel en Parijs (1850-1914)
Degraeve, M. (Speaker)
7 Feb 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Talk or presentation at a workshop/seminar
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Op zoek naar de kinderen van de Zenne in 1867
Degraeve, M. (Speaker)
22 Mar 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Talk at a school event
Press/Media
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Zaten er echt wolven vlak bij de Muntschouwburg? Deze Brusselse straatnamen ontstonden door grappige fouten
25/03/26
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Comment Bruxelles est-elle devenue la grande ville que l'on connaît aujourd'hui ?
18/03/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Verhalen van Brussel, verhalen met inspraak.
Degraeve, M., Vaesen, J., Jaumain, S., Degryse, I., Billen, C., Boquet, F., Demeter, S., Deneweth, H., Hubert, M., Jacobs, D. & Wayens, B.
2/03/23
2 Media contributions
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Tentoonstelling toont hoe bouwsector onder druk staat in Brussel
11/02/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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Bouwsector vertrekt uit de stad, en dat is slecht nieuws voor u
Degraeve, M., Vandyck, F. M. & De Boeck, S.
27/10/20
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
Thesis
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Building Brussels: Construction Entrepreneurs in a Transforming Urban Space (1830-1970)
Degraeve, M. ((PhD) Student), Deneweth, H. (Promotor), Van de Voorde, S. (Promotor) & Bertels, I. (Promotor), 19 Aug 2021Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis