This ERDF-funded project will attempt to transform the ruins of an old coal mining site by reusing the original building materials to construct a new administrative centre for the region. The aim of the project is to make use of the resources left in the ruins and old buildings of a coal mine in Hainaut, Belgium to feed into the construction of a new administrative block on the same site. Materials will either be reused in their original function or in other ways so as to give them a new lease o
- 13 February 2018
This ERDF-funded project will attempt to transform the ruins of an old coal mining site by reusing the original building materials to construct a new administrative centre for the region.
The aim of the project is to make use of the resources left in the ruins and old buildings of a coal mine in Hainaut, Belgium to feed into the construction of a new administrative block on the same site. Materials will either be reused in their original function or in other ways so as to give them a new lease of life rather than waste them.
Although the project team wants to reuse the original materials in their entirety, this will not be possible as some, such as asbestos, will have to be disposed of safely. All the materials must be checked by engineers and approved as safe before they are used again.
This initiative will not only save on building resources but will also require fewer lorry journeys to deliver materials to the building site. Finally, the old coal mine represents a prosperous time in the region’s history, which means that giving the old materials a new lease of life in the regional administrative centre will be symbolic for the area.
If successful, this ‘deconstruct-reconstruct’ model could potentially be replicated in other building projects across Europe.
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Source article on www.rtbf.be 29/01/18
Author: Christophe Reculez
Photo: © Pixabay/Creative Commons