Sandrine Xanthoulis

For many years, the site of the former hospital Baviere (Outremeuse, Liege, Belgium) has been abandoned, empty without life. Hence, the prime importance to revive it.

The project of creating a rock concert hall is in line with a global town development plan for a musical and cultural centre. This idea originates from analysis, programming and development proposals in the frame of a vertical workshop (A3, A4 and A5). It rests on a group approach where everybody could express himself and continue to promote their views (see sketch no 1).

Surrounding elements motivated the general work plan’s structure. The urban quay walk brings back to life architectural sequences delineated by the successive different building blocks. My project is part of a new urban outline where architectural sequences concentrate and unify.

By choosing a filter, a noise barrier quayside, the heart of the islet takes on a different meaning, a privileged position. An animation park with vegetation takes place there as a green source to let the area breathe.

District functions as well as urban activities integrate to guarantee the necessary balance to this sub-district located at the angle of the site. My project will be the anchor point of this new life centre.

Through its access via the park, the modular rock concert hall can host up to 2.000 people. Representing the nightlife, the hall offers also daytime activities for its internal balance by using the various distribution centres. That’s the way recreational, business, exhibition and Eureka spaces will develop.

Using both directions of the natural site, the project opens itself to the penetrating park and directs the visitor to its heart.

Two solid volumes are neatly distinct: the one of the modular concert hall in the expression of a hard pedestal on top of which lies a light hat unveiling the fully opened out hall; the second one is upright, rigid and oriented. Annex functions of the rock hall are distributed on four levels (reception, cloakrooms, cafeteria, catering, shops, gambling areas, billiards, Luna-park, administration and security services).

The social clubs, like simple trays extending towards or ensuing from the park, unify these two entities by collaborating to both and thus create the link between night and day life.

The rock concert hall, dissociated from its administrative function, can express itself like a centrepiece in the district and offer by the simple revelation of its internal operation an urban “wink”….

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