Connunity Cultural Center in Brussels

architecture archviz visualization 3ds max Render interior design exterior 3D corona

Community Cultural Center in Brussels

Student project at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar

Short overview

The revitalization project aims to transform three separate neighboring buildings in Brussels' Schaarbeek district—the "Scarabeus" theater, "Elite" cinema, and a residential building—into a unified cultural center.

At the heart of the new center is an acrobatics school, which will also include a performance space. In addition, the center will house social housing, a communal kitchen, café, workshop, library, and co-working space.

The challenge lies in integrating these diverse functions into a cohesive whole, where they intertwine and interconnect to create a genuine community center.

Team: Laurenz Schröder, Konrad Zaremba, Mykyta Lytvynenko

Master’s semester project at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar in the summer semester of 2023.
Department of Design and Building Construction.
Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Johannes Kuehn.

Schaarbeek district

Urban Context

The project is situated in Schaarbeek, one of the 14 municipalities of Brussels, Belgium. The district is known for its townhouse architecture, multicultural identity, and strong sense of community.

Furthermore, Schaarbeek is characterized by a significant number of unique brick modernism residential buildings, which contribute to the area's distinct character. These buildings have served as inspiration for our design approach.

Brick modernism in Schaarbeek

The project encompasses three neighboring buildings, each with its own distinct function and spatial organization - a townhouse, a cinema and a theater. Together, they create a complex that stretches through the block, providing access to two different streets.

However, each of the three buildings required renovation and replanning, as their current spaces were unable to meet the needs of the Schaarbeek community.

Three sepatare buildings on the existing plan, about to be connected in one unity:

1 - Residential building, 2 - Elite cinema, 3 - Scarabeus theater

Tasks and Goals

The main objective of the project was to strike a balance between preservation and demolition, between retaining existing elements and constructing new ones. Should we keep the existing rooms at any cost, even if we think they don't suit contemporary and future use? Or should we demolish if we're sure that the spaces built instead could endure for a long time and adapt to new functions in the future?

Ultimately, it was a project aimed at exploring what "sustainability" in architecture could mean for us.

Residential building and Elite cinema

Elite cinema and the residential building

This side of the complex opens to a rather busy street. First building here is a townhouse from the year 1938 with a well-preserved brick facade. Side-to-side stands modernistic Elite cinema building, built in 1958. The facade, as well as the interior, finds itself in a state of neglect, both exterior and . Elite building does not resemble that of a cinema; one might mistake it for a car repair workshop from the outside.

Scarabeus theater

Scarabeus Theater

On this side of the complex lays a quiter street. Here, our primary concern was the Scarabeus facade. The brick wall conveyed a sense of enclosure, resembling the rear of a building designated for service functions rather than a community center. Moreover, it starkly contrasted with the surrounding townhouse typology that defines the street and the district.

Ground floor

Spatial Concept

At the spatial level, our task was to seamlessly integrate all three entities, ensuring a smooth transition between rooms. Initially, an open-plan organization served as the ideal template. However, during the planning phase, we realized that absolute fluidity within spaces carries as many drawbacks as the strict imposition of borders and regulations. True spatial excellence arises from a commitment to specific functions, which inherently necessitate delineated boundaries for clarity.

We firmly believe that enduring spatial design demands a certain level of specificity.

Consequently, we opted to abandon the notion of a completely permeable complex for visitors. To them, the Elite and Scarabeus sections appear almost as separate entities. However, this dichotomy does not extend to the primary resident of the complex—the acrobat school. They enjoy access to two distinct halls, one spacious in the Elite section and the other more intimate in the Scarabeus area, tailored for both training and performance. Furthermore, the connecting rooms are purposefully designed to meet their unique needs, serving as the cohesive hub of the complex.

This exemplifies our concept of sustainable spatial fluidity. While not universally borderless, the space is intricately tailored to suit its various functions. This approach ensures adaptability without sacrificing specificity. The pathways utilized by the acrobat school illustrate the potential for future fluidity.

Underground floor

First floor

Second floor

Third and Fourth floors

Scarabeus facade

We restored the townhouse city fabric by dividing the new facade into three entities, thereby returning the neighborhood feeling to the street, which had been partly distorted by the old Scarabeus appearance.

Visitors enter through the cozy courtyard. The main feature on the Scarabeus side is the smaller multi-function hall of the acrobate school, suitable for both acrobatic rehearsals and various types of performances. Additionally, visitors can find a café, library, co-working space, and workshops here. Administration offices are also located on the Scarabeus side.

Elite facade

On this side, we fully preserved the facade of the residential building. The Elite facade underwent changes since we added two additional floors to the existing building. However, we preserved the original character of the building, making it appear as a major public center in the area.

On the Elite side, the primary feature is the larger multi-function hall of the acrobat school. Similar to the Scarabeus side, it serves both as a performance and rehearsal space. Another public feature here is a large café with a terrace, which includes its own open-air stage. Both the hall and café are accessible through the Elite building, occupying the underground, ground, and first floors.

The residential building and the upper floors of the Elite building serve as a social housing entity. The apartments also have windows and loggias oriented towards the terrace with the stage and have their own indoor entrance to the café.