The Old Boys’ School in Wijgmaal

The adaptive reuse study for the Old Boys’ School in Wijgmaal explores how a modernist school building from 1939 can once again take on a meaningful role within the neighbourhood. The study begins with an extensive analysis of the existing condition, examining the building from multiple perspectives and across different scales: technical, historical and spatial. In parallel, the wider context of Wijgmaal is mapped, with attention to mobility, local amenities, green structures and future developments, including the masterplans surrounding the street ‘Wakkerzeelsebaan’.

From there, a programmatic analysis is developed, bringing together both the needs of the neighbourhood and the building’s current use. The study looks for a future programme that respects the character of the building while responding to local demands, with particular attention to shared use and socially embedded functions.

A series of adaptive reuse scenarios is then developed and evaluated, ranging from preserving the current use to introducing new programmes such as housing, education, or shared spaces for work and gathering. These scenarios are explored spatially and linked to potential extensions and strategies for energy optimisation.

The study results in a number of grounded future directions that not only reconsider the building itself, but also question the long-term role of the site within the urban block and the wider neighbourhood. In this way, adaptive reuse is approached as a lever for broader spatial and social value.

In collaboration with: Archivolt