2011 Pierre-François GeenenPierre-François Geenen - Un centre culturel à Verviers
Location
The site is a zone without construction of Verviers historical center that is located along the river Vesdre. It joins a very interesting urban development and it offers important sights of natural and urban landscape. This zone was destroyed by ill-considered installations and by automobile policy typical of seventies (car parks, tunnels…). However, this city offers a significant built heritage, which marks out the city, and the old districts witness a great architectural quality.
Architecture and concept
The major objective of the project is to give to Verviers a modern and attractive image, promoting contemporary architecture while, in the same time valuing, protecting and recognizing Verviers’s cultural heritage and identity.
The new housing is inspired from historic configurations and supports residential suburb structure that is appropriate for Verviers. The cultural center sets up as a hinge making the link between two elements of Verviers heritage and closes the unstructured residential islet. Its volumetric respects the existing sizes and purports to be either discreet, or expressive according to the function and its position on the ground. The various heights on the zone of intervention have encouraged the project to work on its roofing, with a set of folds reaching the various heights and parts of the project, participating in an active way in the general appearance of the building.
The multi-purpose hall of 450 seats constitutes the prominent point of the project. A central hall, in relation to the public esplanade and enlightened by the zenith light, accommodates the visitors and distributes all the functions of the building. The library offers several levels and hides itself in volumetric at the level of the heart of the residential islet when it maintains a relationship of promiscuity with living houses. The various openings of the center value the landscaped and natural sights.
The site is a zone without construction of Verviers historical center that is located along the river Vesdre. It joins a very interesting urban development and it offers important sights of natural and urban landscape. This zone was destroyed by ill-considered installations and by automobile policy typical of seventies (car parks, tunnels…). However, this city offers a significant built heritage, which marks out the city, and the old districts witness a great architectural quality.
Architecture and concept
The major objective of the project is to give to Verviers a modern and attractive image, promoting contemporary architecture while, in the same time valuing, protecting and recognizing Verviers’s cultural heritage and identity.
The new housing is inspired from historic configurations and supports residential suburb structure that is appropriate for Verviers. The cultural center sets up as a hinge making the link between two elements of Verviers heritage and closes the unstructured residential islet. Its volumetric respects the existing sizes and purports to be either discreet, or expressive according to the function and its position on the ground. The various heights on the zone of intervention have encouraged the project to work on its roofing, with a set of folds reaching the various heights and parts of the project, participating in an active way in the general appearance of the building.
The multi-purpose hall of 450 seats constitutes the prominent point of the project. A central hall, in relation to the public esplanade and enlightened by the zenith light, accommodates the visitors and distributes all the functions of the building. The library offers several levels and hides itself in volumetric at the level of the heart of the residential islet when it maintains a relationship of promiscuity with living houses. The various openings of the center value the landscaped and natural sights.
