Stedelijke kunstacademie Turnhout

Located at the centre of a new residential and retail development with city parking, the new art academy keeps the memory of the former Brepols printing works alive. The early 20th century printing hall and interwar office building bear witness to the eventful past of the inner-city working environment. After years of being vacant, WIT Architects renovated both buildings and complemented them with a new building. The view of the academy from the public space is fragmented but highlights its diversity. Inside, SASK and SAMWD make up a single coherent creative factory. Because of its size, the overall industrial monument offers every opportunity for synergy without creating undue pressure. The visible structure reflects a century of development in building in concrete. In the factory hall, the architects combined the available technical infrastructure into an imposing structure nestling where the printing presses used to be. This way the industrial heritage tenaciously maintains its presence amongst the new residential, shopping and parking facilities.

This text is based on the project text provided by the architects.