The materials that define the new office and its infrastructure were taken from existing buildings, defined in this narrative as ‘mines’: buildings in the process of demolition or renovation became sources for this assemblage.
The project plays a key role in the transformation of the northern district. Multiple uses and appropriations are at the heart of the project, which is conceived as an incubator and productive space where different activities can take shape, adapt and grow. This was an important principle in the design process: to transform the monumentality of the museum into something accessible and shared. The circular foundation ensures that everything created here contributes to its evolving history, making it a living museum where new stories are constantly unfolding and accumulating.
The project recovered items that were about to be discarded, as the recovery of certain technical elements is usually impractical or simply not financially viable. These were found in various office buildings in Brussels: the heating systems came from the Espace Beaulieu in Auderghem, the cable trays from the Centre Monnaie in the centre of Brussels, the ventilation ducts from the CCN in Schaerbeek; the project also involved the reuse of a wide range of furniture - kitchens, chairs, tables, lighting fixtures - and materials - wood, glass panels, doors.
Such a process made it necessary to rethink the standard phases of design and construction. Design and construction merged organically, resulting in an iterative process in which decisions were constantly evolving based on inventory lists, prototypes, discoveries and the changing availability of materials and labour. The project dynamically adapted to available resources, or adapted available materials to needs or uses.
The complexity of the project highlighted a sometimes overlooked aspect: the social value of circularity. Despite potentially low or even zero material costs, the real investment is in labour for activities such as reclaiming, dismantling, transport and planning, for which our construction industry and regulations seem to have yet to learn the tools. While circularity remains expensive, the project demonstrated that for the same cost as new construction, a significant portion of the budget goes to labour. In the end, a circular project not only promotes environmental sustainability, but also benefits the local economy by investing in human resources and connecting with local businesses.
The serie of pictures shows the workers of Manus busy recovering the different elements that would later become the project. @manus_vzw is a social not-for-profit organization that trains people to enter the mainstream labour market.
The project plays a key role in the transformation of the northern district. Multiple uses and appropriations are at the heart of the project, which is conceived as an incubator and productive space where different activities can take shape, adapt and grow. This was an important principle in the design process: to transform the monumentality of the museum into something accessible and shared. The circular foundation ensures that everything created here contributes to its evolving history, making it a living museum where new stories are constantly unfolding and accumulating.
The project recovered items that were about to be discarded, as the recovery of certain technical elements is usually impractical or simply not financially viable. These were found in various office buildings in Brussels: the heating systems came from the Espace Beaulieu in Auderghem, the cable trays from the Centre Monnaie in the centre of Brussels, the ventilation ducts from the CCN in Schaerbeek; the project also involved the reuse of a wide range of furniture - kitchens, chairs, tables, lighting fixtures - and materials - wood, glass panels, doors.
Such a process made it necessary to rethink the standard phases of design and construction. Design and construction merged organically, resulting in an iterative process in which decisions were constantly evolving based on inventory lists, prototypes, discoveries and the changing availability of materials and labour. The project dynamically adapted to available resources, or adapted available materials to needs or uses.
The complexity of the project highlighted a sometimes overlooked aspect: the social value of circularity. Despite potentially low or even zero material costs, the real investment is in labour for activities such as reclaiming, dismantling, transport and planning, for which our construction industry and regulations seem to have yet to learn the tools. While circularity remains expensive, the project demonstrated that for the same cost as new construction, a significant portion of the budget goes to labour. In the end, a circular project not only promotes environmental sustainability, but also benefits the local economy by investing in human resources and connecting with local businesses.
The serie of pictures shows the workers of Manus busy recovering the different elements that would later become the project. @manus_vzw is a social not-for-profit organization that trains people to enter the mainstream labour market.
Location / CCN
Location / Beaulieu
Location / Monnaie Center
