CHAPEX

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The Palais des Expositions in Charleroi is like an urban palimpsest. The complex was built in 1948 by Joseph Andr. as part of the postwar reconstruction effort. Two monumental halls spanning 60 metres reflected Charleroi’s industrial prosperity.

The transformation realised by AgwA together with architecten jan de vylder inge vinck is radical in its simplicity. Although the brief called for replacing the foyer, the architects decided to strip back the structure. Stripped of walls and facades, only a bare concrete skeleton remained. The result is a series of covered outdoor spaces with urban moments. A public square, spread over three levels, forms around an open-air atrium. Monumental staircases connect the different levels of the halls. The bare concrete structure and two surviving chimneys in the central garden depict the city’s industrial past. With a limited budget, the architects transformed not by addition but by reduction. Three of the six halls temporarily function as parking, while the others house exhibitions, meeting rooms and an auditorium.

Text: Fabian De Vriendt

Photos: Filip Dujardin