Renovations
The renovation and extension work being carried out at the Museum of Ixelles comprises two major phases, corresponding in reality to two specific projects. They are in fact two complementary projects that are being rolled out one after the other, under the coordination of the technical services of the Municipality of Ixelles in order to ensure their overall coherence. This process of gradual change is aimed at a bright future for the museum.
The architectural project to transform and extend the museum will :
- enhance the building's relationship with its surroundings and its visibility in a fairly dense urban context urban context;
- improve reception conditions for the public by clearly reorganising functions;
- improve the quality of the interior and exterior spaces;
- Open up the second floor of exhibition galleries in the main hall;
- create a new bookshop and cafeteria;
- create educational areas, a garden of experiments and statues;
- make the relaxation area more comfortable;
- give greater visibility to the literary and commercial space.
PHASE 1 → 2018-2022
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF RECEPTION AND VISITOR FLOW
Phase 1 was designed by B-architecten following a competition organised in 2012-2013.
The project involved a complete overhaul of the reception and ticketing areas to improve the flow and comfort of the ever-increasing number of visitors. The museum's new entrance - which has been transformed from a 'mouse hole' into a spacious, bright entrance - also features new services such as a café area with a sunny terrace, and a shop area to enhance the conviviality and well-being of visitors. These new services are currently being designed with a view to reopening with a high-quality, attractive and accessible offering. Of course, the changing rooms and toilets are also undergoing a complete renovation.
This phase also included a significant extension to the museum. Thanks to a historic bequest, the building at 75 rue Jean Van Volsem was acquired for the museum in 2009. B-architecten decided to retain the facades so as not to disrupt the harmony of the street, but all the interior spaces were completely redistributed. This extension has given the museum the following spaces and functions:
Multi-purpose space: conferences, screenings, meetings, etc.
Educational space: creative workshops, school events, etc.
A technical extension for internal use: technical workshops for the museum teams (creation of plinths, display cases, picture rails, storage, etc.).
Finally, an additional area has been developed in this space: a terrace giving access to a second garden. Located in the inner part of the block, this new green outdoor space will be mainly dedicated to relaxation.
All of these new spaces and functions are accessible outside the temporary and permanent exhibition circuits, reinforcing the museum's role as a place for living, sharing and socialising.
Budget
The municipality of Ixelles is investing almost €2,500,000 in this project. It should be noted that a fund of €500,000.00 has been bequeathed by the Albert and Lydie Demuyter Foundation (Albert Demuyter was a former Mayor of Ixelles).
B-architecten
B-architecten is a platform for the search for surprising spatial solutions designed to enhance quality of life and sustainability.
B-architecten, founded in 1997 by Evert Crols, Dirk Engelen and Sven Grooten, is today a team of 50 architects, urban planners and architect-engineers who develop architectural and urban design projects. The team is based in Antwerp and Brussels and has expertise in a wide range of fields: housing, offices, shops and their interior fittings, public buildings, public spaces, etc. Their activities also include exhibition and theatre scenography.
PHASE 2 → 2022-2025
IMPROVING ENERGY MANAGEMENT, CONSERVATION CONDITIONS AND SAFETY
Phase 2 is a project developed by Trio architecture following a call for tenders in 2019.
More technical and with only a very limited visual impact on the spaces, this phase is nonetheless essential to the complete renovation of the museum currently underway. It will bring the museum up to conservation, security and energy management standards. These are key issues for today's museums, as they guarantee the long-term enhancement and transmission of our heritage.
Improving conservation: Museums have many difficult conservation requirements. Maintaining a stable temperature and hygrometry, adjusted according to the many different types of works conserved, both in the storerooms and in the exhibition rooms, is a complex challenge, compounded by the diverse material and technical realities of a complex infrastructure with buildings from different eras. The overall redeployment of the climate systems undertaken in this phase will considerably improve the conservation of the 15,000 works in the collection.
Interior finishing and exterior surroundings: Various more specific technical and aesthetic interventions, both inside (painting, re-colouring, renovation of the parquet flooring, etc.) and outside (development of the forecourt and garden areas at the front of the museum, as well as the rear garden, on the 75 Van Volsem side) will enable all these structural interventions to be completed.
TRIO architecture
TRIO architecture was founded in 1988 by Jean-Jacques Boucau and Xavier de Pierpont, Architectes. Benoît Errembault and Sébastien Petit, architects who have worked together for many years, gradually became partners and are currently the managing partners.
TRIO Architecture undertakes architectural assignments involving the construction, conversion, fitting-out and restoration of buildings throughout the country. Thanks to the attention paid to the energy performance of buildings, several projects have been awarded very low energy, passive and Batex certification. Thanks to its extensive experience, TRIO Architecture has developed a highly effective know-how for projects of all kinds: public and private contracts, new buildings and renovations, heritage projects, housing, offices, museums, outdoor developments, etc.
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