Selena Doncev
design and detailing
KASK School of Arts Ghent
Graduates: 2026
Specialisms: Interior Design / Architecture / Digital Design
My location: Brussels, Belgium
Selena Doncev
First Name: Selena
Last Name: Doncev
University / College: KASK School of Arts Ghent
Course / Program: design and detailing
Graduates: 2026
Specialisms: Interior Design / Architecture / Digital Design
My Location: Brussels, Belgium
About
My name is Selena Doncev. I'm from Brussels, Belgium and have Macedonian roots. From a young age, I have always had a strong interest in architecture and design. I have been curious about how spaces are created, how people experience them and how design can influence the way we live. Driven by this curiosity, I decided to study Interior Design at KASK in Ghent. A motto that has always stayed with me is "You win in life by failing first". To me, this means that mistakes are not an endpoint, but rather an opportunity to learn and grow. Every design, every exploration and every failure ultimately brings you closer to creating something better and more meaningful. I want to design foor good, with attention to people, the environment and the future.
For my Bachelor's thesis, I chose The Priory of the Rouge-Cloître of 60 meter long in Brussels, a place where the past and the future come together. Located between the tranquillity of the Forest and the dynamism of the city, the historic site provides a distinctive context for a new purpose. The growing shortage of student housing in Brussels led to the idea of transforming the Priory into a student residence. Not merely as a place to live, but as a second home where students can meer, learn, relax and develop themselves. At the northern side of the building once stood the church tower, which was lost in a fire. My aim was to bring the tower back to life through a contemporary interpretation, while creating an architectural promenade that gradually guides the visitor towards the crown of the tower. The design seeks a new balance between heritage and contemporary use. By preserving the existing qualities of the Priory while integrating new functions, the building is given a second life. In this way, it becomes a place where the past takes on new meaning within contemporary student life in Brussels.
Competitions
