Project R-11218

BELGIAN MOMO HERITAGE ON THE RADAR - Re-reading modernist housing estates: an inquiry into the value of threatened heritage sites and the possibilities of adaptive reuse as a method for re-evaluation (Research)

This research project aims to address the challenges of modernist post-war housing estates in Flanders, more specifically the urban settlements and high-rise estates constructed according to Congrès Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne (CIAM) principles, whose initial ambitions have undergone a critical shift in meaning. A considerable number of these sites are threatened with demolition because they are in poor (technical and social) condition. Nevertheless, there is an overall hiatus in the approach towards the modernist typology: the options for adaptive reuse remain unexplored as there has been very little research focused on the potential of other uses for modernist housing ensembles. Therefore, the objective is to investigate the adaptive reuse potential of modernist housing ensembles and develop a theoretical framework that defines a set of strategies for intervention. Precise architectural interventions, based on a process of research by design, herald new possibilities. Regeneration scenarios will be developed for two Flemish case studies, each with diverse characteristics and potential for a redevelopment study. In conclusion, the aim is to clearly evaluate and conceptualise different scenarios and regeneration strategies so that they are applicable for a broader (inter)national range of projects dealing with similar issues.

01 November 2020 - 31 October 2022