ArchStacks

Bijloke . Ghent

· Ghent, Belgium

A thoughtful renovation enhancing the Bijloke Music Centre's historical identity while addressing modern needs.

Modern entrance with glass and wood alongside a historic stone building.
A modern entrance structure with large glass windows and wooden supports, situated next to a historic stone building with arched windows. The area is surrounded by green trees and a paved pathway.
exterior
Modern entrance with glass and wood alongside a historic stone building.Exterior view of the De Bijloke Music Centre, highlighting a modern entrance next to a historic building.Entrance of De Bijloke Music Centre featuring a modern design with wooden columns and large glass panels.Modern entrance with glass and wood, featuring multiple glass doors and a café sign, with a historical brick building in the background.Exterior view of a café entrance with glass and wood elements, surrounded by trees.Exterior view of a café with glass windows and wooden framing, featuring an entrance with glass doors.Exterior view of the Bijloke Music Centre, highlighting the contrast between the historical and modern architectural styles.Exterior view of the Bijloke Music Centre, highlighting a blend of historical and modern architectural styles, surrounded by greenery.Exterior view of the Bijloke Music Centre in Ghent, displaying a combination of historical and modern architectural styles.Detail of a modern facade with wooden slats and reflective glass, reflecting a historic brick building.A contemporary building with a glass facade and wooden slats next to a classic architectural structure. A bicycle is visible in the foreground.A modern glass and wood structure next to a historic white building, with reflections visible in the glass and greenery at the base.Renovated façade of the Bijloke Music Centre, combining modern glass and wooden elements with historical architecture in the background.Facade of a contemporary building with wooden slats and glass, set in a courtyard with trees and adjacent traditional buildings.A contemporary building with a wooden slatted facade and glass windows, surrounded by trees and historical structures.Newly constructed wooden façade with slats next to an older brick building in a courtyard setting.Exterior of a building with wooden slats and glass, showcasing a door and surrounding foliage.Entrance area with a wooden door and glass facade, surrounded by plants and a brick wall.Interior entrance with glass doors and wooden frames, showcasing a person walking outside.Interior entrance area with glass windows and wooden doors, revealing outdoor greenery.Interior of an accessible entrance with a glass lift and red door, illuminated by linear lights.Interior view with glass panels and wooden framing, highlighting natural light and modern architectural design.Interior view of a structure with glass panels and wooden slats, showing a brick wall outside.Interior view of a building with glass and wooden slats, highlighting architectural details.Interior space featuring large windows with wooden slats, a railing, and wooden flooring.Elevation drawing featuring a contemporary building with a slatted facade adjacent to a traditional structure and a church.Floor plan layout of the Bijloke Music Centre in Ghent, highlighting various functional spaces.Three architectural floor plans showing different sections of the Bijloke project.Architectural drawings of the Bijloke Music Centre, featuring floor plan and section views.Architectural sections showing the interior layout of the Bijloke project, featuring figures in different spaces.

Architects

Location

Bijloke . Ghent

A sustainable renovation of a historic music center

The Bijloke Music Centre in Ghent has undergone a remarkable transformation, addressing pressing needs while respecting its historical essence. The renovation focused on three critical areas: reducing overheating in the performers’ foyer, enhancing the wind and water tightness of the public entrance near the café, and improving overall accessibility. This project, executed by evr-architecten, showcases a commitment to sustainability through passive interventions and minimal material waste.

Located on the eastern side of the music centre, the approach taken was one of preservation and reuse, ensuring that the building could continue to function throughout the renovation process. Instead of demolishing the existing curtain wall of the artists’ foyer, a new structure was constructed atop it, minimizing disruption and reducing waste and energy consumption.

At the public entrance, modifications were made to the curtain wall to provide better shelter from the elements, enhancing comfort for visitors. The design of these exterior interventions was carefully crafted to resonate with the historic façades surrounding the building, maintaining a cohesive visual language through the rhythm of the columns and horizontal elements.

A notable choice in materials was the use of greyed wood sourced from sustainable forestry, which replaced generic glass façades. This decision not only enhanced the tactile quality of the spaces but also contributed to a timeless character, facilitating a welcoming transition from the exterior to the interior.

The result of these thoughtful interventions is a building that boasts improved visual quality, greater climate resilience, and enhanced user comfort—all achieved through a sober and sustainable architectural approach.

Design Highlights

  • Passive interventions to limit overheating and improve comfort

  • Preservation and reuse of existing structures

  • Sustainable materials, including greyed wood from sustainable forestry

  • Cohesive design language matching the historic context

  • Enhanced accessibility and

Key Facts

Feature Details
Architect evr-architecten
Location Ghent
Client Muziekcentrum De Bijloke
Year of Completion 2024
Focus Areas Sustainability, Preservation, Accessibility

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