Cultural and Services Centre / By Samyn and Partners

Izegem, Belgium
Samyn and Partners
Post By:Kitticoon Poopong

Photo © Courtesy of Marie-Françoise Plissart

A park on the city’s periphery houses the multipurpose hall (shows and music), as well as a community centre for the elderly.

Photo © Courtesy of Marie-Françoise Plissart

A very tight budget coupled with the aim to adopt an exemplary environmental approach were the leitmotifs running through the project option.

Photo © Courtesy of Marie-Françoise Plissart

So it is that the stage and the hall, with collapsible seats, preceded by the foyer, form the central nave of the building. It is flanked by two lateral wings housing a cafeteria, multipurpose rooms, greenroom, dressing rooms, shed and technical rooms.

Photo © Courtesy of Marie-Françoise Plissart

A few administrative rooms are also fitted in on two floors between the hall and the foyer.

Terrain section and site plan--drawing © Courtesy of Samyn and Partners

The building’s volumetry dovetails as closely as possible with the functional requirements. Its structure in walls of reinforced concrete blocks and fireproof prestressed concrete slabs is sheathed by 15 cm of rock wool and a corrugated galvanised steel-sheet mantel, both for the roof and the outer walls.

ground floor plan--drawing © Courtesy of Samyn and Partners

first floor plan--drawing © Courtesy of Samyn and Partners

roof plan--drawing © Courtesy of Samyn and Partners

The hall’s high walls are 30 cm thick — a thickness necessary both for the structure’s stability and its soundproofing. The exterior joinery is limited to the absolute minimum, and is in clear lumber.

west & east elevations--drawing © Courtesy of Samyn and Partners

North elevation and longitudinal section of north wing--drawing © Courtesy of Samyn and Partners

south elevation and longitudinal section of south wing--drawing © Courtesy of Samyn and Partners

A large services courtyard to the north of the backstage area, and an ornamental pond to the south of the foyer, surround the central nave on the outside.

Longitudinal sections of north wing--drawing © Courtesy of Samyn and Partners

Longitudinal sections of south wing--drawing © Courtesy of Samyn and Partners

Longitudinal center sections--drawing © Courtesy of Samyn and Partners

The project makes provision for two large canopies that extend the lateral wings and undulate above the access paths. One of these also provides the link towards an existing parallelepipedal building housing a community centre. The other runs alongside an area planted with trees spaced at regular intervals covering a car park for 392 cars.

Longitudinal center section and longitudinal section of north wing--drawing © Courtesy of Samyn and Partners

Transversal sections--drawing © Courtesy of Samyn and Partners

The project for the surrounding area was distorted by the municipal services, inter alia by a high-tension cabin painted in beige being sited near the building. The photographs have been touched up to remove this alteration.

Project Data
Project name: Cultural and Services Centre
Location: Izegem, Belgium
Program: Multipurpose hall and community center
Project Area: 2700 m2
Project Year: 2004-2009

The people
Architects: Samyn and Partners
Stage Design: In collaboration with TTAS
Photographs: © Marie-Françoise Plissart


Note>>Location in this map, indicate city/country but not exact address.

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