Smart Manufacturing Campus

—

The former Waterschei coal mine was once the foundation of industrial production. Today, the industrial site is once again thriving thanks to its repurposing as a technological ecosystem. Thor Park aims to be the catalyst for smart manufacturing and technology.

XDGA’s Smart Manufacturing Campus translates this ambition into a well-thought-out modular framework and the smart stacking of functions. A sequence of production and storage halls on the ground floor is centrally accessed by a wide, partially covered, interior street that organises freight traffic and logistics flows. Offices are stacked on top of this and organise around a grid of spacious patios that allow plenty of daylight deep into the volume.

The repetitive system is tolerant of the growth, downsizing and reconfiguration of contemporary technology companies. The stacking of functions also creates a streamlined process in which production, logistics and offices are intertwined. As a result, the Smart Manufacturing Campus is ready to continue growing alongside the companies.

Text: Fabian De Vriendt

Photos: Maxime Delvaux