Henley Halebrown and WV Architecten present the refurbishment of the De Roosenberg Community Centre located in Oud-Heverlee, south of Leuven, Belgium. The project focuses on the transformation of the library into a “living room” for the Flemish community of Oud-Heverlee.

The project carries out a comprehensive transformation of an original 1990s building by van Steenkiste and Bruggemans, to turn it into a vibrant, outward-facing “palace for the people”, seeking to connect the building with the new gardens surrounding it.

The project developed by Henley Halebrown and WV Architecten combines modern functionality with sustainability, creating a civic centre that embodies community and environmental responsibility. The building is arranged around a zigzag staircase located in the middle of the volume, which functions as a connecting element between the entrance hall with the library, the lobby, the event hall and the brasserie, thus unifying the entire space.

On the ground floor, the original hall has been extended and reorganised with a new hall on the south side, improving access and flexibility for large events. A retractable acoustic wall separates the hall from the hall, which opens onto a terrace overlooking the natural landscape, creating a strong connection with the outdoor spaces.

De Roosenberg por Henley Halebrown + WV Architecten. Visualización cortesía por Henley Halebrown + WV Architecten.
De Roosenberg by Henley Halebrown + WV Architecten. Rendering courtesy by Henley Halebrown + WV Architecten.

The new library, located in a prominent and easily accessible location, replaces the old café. A modular furniture system organises its collections for adults and young people, while informal niches and reading areas are created for visitors. Glass facades bathe the reading areas in natural light and offer panoramic views of the nearby ponds. Similarly, on the upper level above the library, a new brasserie and terrace will enjoy views across the water. A multi-purpose room houses the council chamber, reading rooms and studies.

“The heart of the design is the ‘stitch’. This is the zig-zag staircase in the entrance hall that literally stitches the spaces together before your eyes. Stairs, bridges and landings physically and visibly connect all the functions around a central space, whilst unlocking the potential of all the existing spaces.”

Simon Henley, co-founder of Henley Halebrown.

De Roosenberg por Henley Halebrown + WV Architecten. Visualización cortesía por Henley Halebrown + WV Architecten.
De Roosenberg by Henley Halebrown + WV Architecten. Rendering courtesy by Henley Halebrown + WV Architecten.

Henley Halebrown and WV Architecten’s approach prioritises the building’s fabric. By identifying this latent value, the project team minimised demolition work and retained the building’s inherent strengths. This approach will continue beyond the completion of the project, with the potential for continued refinement.

Seeking to recognise and harness the building’s latent potential, the intervention minimises demolitions, seeking to retain the building’s original features and reuse as many materials as possible. Where necessary, new materials include bio-based products with low carbon emissions.

The building is designed to breathe, with materials that allow vapour to pass through and promote air quality. This is a testament to the “fabric first” approach to the work of both studios, which reuses as many materials as possible. The project includes timber construction, timber cladding and hemp insulation, reducing the building’s carbon footprint and enhancing its visual warmth. In addition, recycled EPS granules are used in the roof insulation to further reduce CO2 emissions.

More information

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Architects
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Henley Halebrown + WV Architecten.
Project architects.- Jack Hawthorne (Henley Halebrown), Sebastiaan Wouters (WV Architecten).

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Collaborators
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Landscape Architect.- Ateliers Damien Derouaux.
Structural Engineer.- Denkbar BV.
Services Engineer.- Raco BV.
Acoustic Engineer.- D2S International.

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Client
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Gemeentebestuur Oud-Heverlee.

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Area
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2,860 sqm.

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Dates
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2024.

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Location
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Oud-Heverlee, Belgium.

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Henley Halebrown is an architecture practice founded in 1995 based in London. Its directors are Simon Henley, who combines practice with teaching, writing and research and Gavin Hale-Brown, who joined in 1995 and became director in 1997.

They work from interiors, exhibitions and domestic commissions to education, healthcare, residential, commercial and artistic buildings, and even refurbishments. They were named Healthcare Architect of the Year in 2008, Public Buildings Architect of the Year in 2011, and Housing Architect of the Year in 2021.
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WV Architecten. Architecture practice founded in 2017 by Sebastiaan Wouters that currently has offices in the Belgian cities of Antwerp and Liège, and in the Swiss city of Zurich.

WV Architecten creates buildings that dialogue with society based on their identity. On a sustainable basis that critically addresses materiality and what already exists, they try to make insightful and simple gestures without rationalizing to make the complexity of architecture interpretable and legible. WV Architecten recognizes the urgency of a low-carbon approach and is committed to researching bio-based materials to contribute to the foundations of a healthy environment.

Their work reflects a keen awareness of the responsibility of architects in the evolution of the city and that we build more on what already exists, thinking of sustainability and generosity as catalysts for evolution, refinement and empathy as the basis of genuine pleasure.

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Published on: November 23, 2024
Cite: "A Modern Palace for the People. De Roosenberg by Henley Halebrown + WV Architecten" METALOCUS. Accessed
<http://www.metalocus.es/en/news/modern-palace-people-de-roosenberg-henley-halebrown-wv-architecten> ISSN 1139-6415
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