2015
L'artothèque de Mons - Mons - Belgium
Heritage classified eighteenth century, the chapel of the former convent of the Ursulines of Mons (Belgium), was half destroyed during the Second World War.
It was in 2004 that the city decided to launch the project to convert the chapel, so close to the total decay in a artothèque.
It is now a reserve center, research, restoration and study of heritage, spread over seven floors.
After having kept the outer shell of heritage value, the architects decided to place an imposing metal structure supporting the new floors.
The structure allows to clear a fault over the height and length of the nave, thus distinguishing the new framework of the existing wall.
This mechanism allows to affirm the new program by clearly differentiating the two eras.
Light from the fault of the old windows is marked by a new staircase inviting visitors, from home, to go and capture the three dimensions of the new volume.
[project selected by Arnaud Froment]