Author(s)

MICHELLE BYLEMANS, NATHALIE VALLET

Abstract

Different contextual frameworks seem to work as ’restrictive’ for redesign during the adaptive reuse of all kinds of historical heritage sites, all over the world, that have lost their initial function. However, different contextual frameworks can also work as ‘challenging’ for the redesign, as we found out during the adaptive reuse of particular historical heritage sites, being the former Agriculture Pauper Colonies of the Flemish municipalities ‘Wortel’ and ‘Merkspas’ (i.e. in the Province of Antwerp, Belgium), into an Inclusive Economic Participation (IEP) Site. This concept of an ‘IEP Site’ was considered to be an interesting option for reuse by the local governments involved. After all, the main objective of an IEP Site relates strongly to the initial function of both colonies (i.e. the support of poor citizens). In this paper, we will demonstrate that the ‘heritage framework’, ‘institutional framework’ and ’strategic ambition framework’ of the reuse not only works as ’restrictive’, but also works as ‘challenging’ and ‘inspiring’. As such, the redesign, involving the architectural techniques of ‘photoshops’, ’scenarios’ and ‘organograms’, resulted in creative, flexible, innovative and mind-opening solutions for all partners involved.

Keywords

historical heritage sites, adaptive reuse, contextual frameworks, restrictions, challenges, redesign, creative, flexible, innovative, mind-opening