Recyclart

Ad hoc transformation of an industrial building to a socio-cultural place

Text

Recyclart

Ad hoc transformation of an industrial building to a socio-cultural place

Year: 2019

Status: Built

Program: Socio-cultural equipment

Location: Brussels, Belgium

Surface: 4000 m²

Client: Recyclart asbl

Stability: JZH & Partners

HVAC: JZH & Partners

Energy: JZH & Partners

Acoustics: Kahle Acoustics

Recyclart is a multi-disciplinar institution (art center but also restaurant and workshop for wood and steel, those two activities built up on social economy agenda). The project started in the very early 2000’s in Brussels former train station Chapelle-Kapellekerk, in the middle of (by then, in that part of the city) quite empty  city center.

 

After almost 20 years of amazing presence, activities and relevance for Brussels, Recyclart was evicted by the national train company (better nothing under the rails for them than this nice project). Recyclart then moved to Molenbeek, along the canal in a previous warehouse. In order to host the first main public activities, Ouest was asked (in a hurry/emergency crazy rythm and little budget) to help them arranging the existing buildings and site (part of it, only) and mostly the restaurant and kitchen, the main venue for concerts, the offices.

 

Wich was done in a few weeks, with zero time or money for details, colours, finishings,… Yet the experience was quite something and the venue sounds great. We also learned that having no time or expectation on finishings also liberate somehow your head and generates anyhow some aesthetics. Fast and furious (don’t work this way on all your projects…).