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Zonneberg Natuureducatie centrum (ongoing), Zelzate, 2024 - ..., icw Lab15

In a bend of the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal, opposite a steel giant, lies a mountain. This is the only point in the otherwise flat port landscape that offers a view of Ghent’s towers. The Solar Mountain, a remnant of a remediated brownfield, has now become one of the largest solar parks in the Benelux. Excess power, which cannot be fed back into the grid, is used there to produce hydrogen.

At the foot of the hill will be a nature education centre. This ambitious project, called Fabriek Energiek, aims to involve the general public in projects related to renewable energy in all its forms. It will also further expand and strengthen the existing educational programme for schools.

The design of the nature education centre, with its monumental sloping green roof, is a harmonious response to the hillside. The building consists of an elongated, rhythmic wooden structure, matched to the size of pressed straw cassettes. It stands on legs and has a loose prefabricated foundation, making it integrally demountable and reusable for the future. The wooden trusses that form the skeleton come from a recently demolished shed nearby.

The three-stage form of the plan stems from the search for the ideal dimensions for the different programmes. Utility functions, office space and classrooms each have a building depth tailored to their specific use. Each function opens onto a platform protected by a generous canopy on the south side. On the scaled north side, the three-stage form is visible in the façade. Three different window heights, in relation to the depth of the building, bring in northern light along the ceilings that follow the roof slope.

The building itself is educational and shows what it is made of. The straw construction method shows behind ventilated glass panels at the level of the central nave. The uniform façade rhythm of glass doors does not distinguish between functions and shows at the level of the storeroom which renewable technologies are used.

The neglected surrounding landscape is reforested and connects to the rugged nature of the Calemansputte. A new pedestrian bridge restores the connection to the adjacent social housing area.

G2401
RE-USE
Zelzate
2024 - ...
Zonneberg Natuureducatie centrum
Zonneberg Natuureducatie centrum, icw Lab15 , Zelzate, 2024 - ...

During the development of the Nature Education Centre in Zelzate, an unexpected opportunity for reuse presented itself: laminated timber beams from a warehouse in Kortrijk – at that moment being demolished – became available for repurposing. The design was adapted and structurally recalculated to match the dimensions and load-bearing capacity of the reclaimed beams.

By tailoring the design to match what was available at the moment of dismantling, the project sidestepped the need for storage and the logistical delays often associated with reuse. The primary structure incorporates reclaimed laminated beams, while the façade is clad with wooden cassettes once used for brick drying. Held in place by their original metal bands, these cassettes remain unaltered and fully reusable. To further reduce environmental impact, the entire building stands on screw piles – a lightweight, non-invasive foundation system that can be fully removed in the future.

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