Transformation of Flémalle train station into a tourist office, a station point and three flats

Project: Transformation of Flémalle train station into a tourist office, a station point and three flats
Architect: Atelier Chora

Programme: Tourism office, station point, multi-purpose spaces, meeting rooms, three flats, circulation areas, toilets, bicycle rooms, interior courtyards, surroundings,...

About: The mission consisted of transforming the Flémalle station building (disused since 2016) with a view to a triple change of use: installation of the tourist office, creation of 3 housing units and creation of a station point.
On a territorial scale, the site is positioned between the wooded hills and the River Meuse, two characteristic features of the Liège landscape with which the project aims to (re)establish a profound dialogue. The site is characterised by its direct proximity to the railway infrastructure on one side, and to a major street in the district's network on the other.
The project is taking place within an existing building, identifiable by its red brick facades and part of the collective history of the Flémalle district.
This emblematic building is divided into 4 sections, one of which is occupied by the SNCB and cannot be modified. The project proposes an organisation in ‘vertical slices’, divided by function. The aim is to clearly define the different functions of the project and how they are perceived from the public space. The façades have been preserved in order to prolong the history of the site.
This history has been complemented by the addition of new volumes, devoid of any architectural arrogance, to accommodate the residential units. Between links and contrasts, these two architectural typologies dialogue with each other in order to redefine a new image for this station playing the role of a landmark in the district.
From an organisational point of view, the circulation, technical and storage spaces have been placed to the north, on the side of the railway tracks, so as to create a thermal and acoustic barrier. The open spaces have been placed to the south, to create a link with the square. A clear gesture materialised by the new volumes built in wood (CLT) that slide behind the enclosure of the existing walls, creating a series of usable micro-spaces protected from the public space.