Casterman

Programme: Rehabilitation and construction of 50 housing units in the former Casterman facilities.

About: The former Casterman printing works site in Tournai developed in the heart of the St. Jacques district between the 19th century and the late 1990s. This site, which witnessed a significant part of Belgian comic book history (Tintin, Martine, etc.), eventually came to occupy an entire city block during the printing company's various phases of expansion. This landmark of Belgian comic history had become an abandoned industrial wasteland. In 2001, a developer organized an architectural competition on the site to bring it back to life.
The proposed architectural approach was based on the need to clear the block of all unnecessary structures to reveal the historic buildings of interest. These included the original 17th-century convent, the initial extension of the printing works in the convent garden, and several buildings showcasing early 20th-century architecture. The goal was to recreate a city block open to the town, incorporating public spaces, around fifty housing units, offices, and a public building.
The only new construction, built over a newly created underground parking lot, evokes the site's history through the use of architectural concrete panels depicting typesetting cases. The contemporary stands alongside the historic in a unified and serene whole. The landscaped areas integrate a significant green presence to enhance the heart of the block for the enjoyment of its residents.