Previous state
In Charleroi, an industrial city in southern Belgium, there stands a large exhibition hall, known locally as Chapex, a complex built in the 1950s in the wake of rapid post-war growth. However, within a few decades, Charleroi fell into decline due to rapid deindustrialisation, and this colossal 60,000 m² building lay virtually abandoned. Today, the renovation and revitalisation of the former exhibition hall is part of a profound transformation breathing new life into the city, made possible by a significant injection of European investment worth €500 million, impacting several areas of Charleroi. The project addresses the potential of this enormous space, which separates two parts of the city. It is located on a slope between the city centre and the post-industrial landscape, surrounded by vast parking areas.
Aim of the intervention
The proposal encompassed a dual objective to address two main challenges. The first was urban and sought to reverse the disconnection of the upper and lower parts of the city, severed by this 500,000 m³ building. The second was economic and aimed to transform scarcity into a source of inspiration for change. The allocated budget was just one third of that typically anticipated for this type of redevelopment; the idea of 33.3% not only represented a numerical figure, but also a mindset.
The proposal combined the two approaches, elevating the façades of the foyer to reveal a stepped park with three levels, thereby reestablishing a connection between the complex and the upper and lower parts of the city. What’s more, a significant portion of the budget was spent on smaller strategic aspects of the project and unplanned one-off interventions: refurbishment, repairs and maintenance.
Description
The project successfully preserved the extraordinary qualities of the original building, including its scale, rationality, and monumentality, while inviting the public space and landscape to interact with the building's structures, thus reconnecting the city centre with its surroundings. Central to the project was the conversion of the lobby into a stepped urban park, reviving the bond between the city and its post-industrial landscape. During the construction phase, a proposal was made to integrate a congress centre, which led to the introduction of a new balcony, connecting the foyer and three classrooms on the first floor with the terraces in between. The lower floor, on street level, was converted into a festival space for 5,000 people, with extra exhibition spaces above and to the sides. These interventions have allowed the central open space to extend into the city, making it possible for different events to take place simultaneously. Some 60 different types of seeds have also been planted in the grounds surrounding the building, inviting nature in to reclaim the space.
The unheated south wing was transformed into a public car park, which can be adapted and used if more capacity is needed; a successful equilibrium of economy and ecology.
Assessment
The project unveils a new vision for the city, dissolving the boundaries between the built environment and natural spaces, while acknowledging the interdependence of its climatic conditions. Chapex has been incorporated into a broader urban planning and transformation initiative, and perhaps unexpectedly, the extensive infrastructure now plays a pivotal role in the city’s evolution into a green metropolis.
The project exemplifies how architecture can transform existing structures harmoniously. It serves as an inspirational lens for a society in the midst of transformation, highlighting the importance of reuse as a vital approach in our present and crucial journey towards a more sustainable future.
[Last update: 30/10/2024]
