SHSH

The site is located in the heart of a contrasting and varied landscape which combines transport infrastructure, water, rail and road networks with castles, villages, agricultural and industrial areas. Turning its back to undergrowth, it is bordered by a river on the edge of fields, with an industrial zone. To the front, it faces the waterway and banks which lie on the horizon.

To discover the richness of the landscape, the project proposes a logic of permeability and transparency generating multiple vistas and inviting the passage of one landscape to another. A sequence of open space is created by splitting the program into several buildings.

At the foot of the existing building, a courtyard invites us to discover the sport centre by two distinct promenades. One on the land, near water, and the other overhead, approaching the horizon. By means of galleries and bridges, the promenade that runs the entire complex unites the old and new, inside and outside, architecture and landscape. The spaces at ground floor level close to the water, welcome together  uses linked to shipping and navigation. Furthermore,the long road serves the logistics and sports halls. The first floor amalgamates the foyer, cafeteria, administration and accommodation.

The definition of constructive principles is also involved in the research for openness and transparency. The sailing warehouses are in metallic structures through which the trunks of trees and masts of boats mingle with the landscape. On the 1st floor the volumes rest in the timber frame. The finish of the walls mirror the two materials : wood gives warmth to the interiors, metal siding on the facade reflects the brightness of polycarbonate and glass.

The use of precast architectural elements is also proposed to reduce the cost and construction time. These objectives will be incorporated into the phasing of works made possible by the fragmentation of the program in different buildings. The positioning on the site allows phased construction during which existing parts and new parts coexist until the complete conversion and extension of the sports centre.

The soil treatment of outdoor spaces consistent with the uses that they accomodate, but leaving them open to further appropriation. Plant surfaces glide between the wooded masses and seep between the buildings. For educational purposes, landscaping proposes to solve the problems of wastewater treatment by a lagoon system using natural plants.

Status : Competition, 2nd price
Client : French Community of Belgium
Place : Seneffe, Be
Architecture and landscape : SHSH & KARBON’
Execution : Bureau Bouwtechniek
Structure : Greisch
Building services and energy : Sophia Group
Acoustic : A-Tech
Signage : EO design