Pauli building

How do you repurpose 3,274 m² of attic space? KASK & Conservatory / School of Arts posed exactly that question for the Pauli building on the protected Bijloke Site in Ghent. This former neo-Gothic hospital building, dating from 1880, stretches itself across the site through a series of branching wings. One consequence is an enormous amount of lofty attic space, lying unused for nearly 150 years. The adaptive reuse may seem straightforward at first glance, but appearances deceive. A wide range of questions demands careful study and design: daylight access, sustainability, structural performance, fire evacuation and more must constantly be reconciled with the heritage values of the building. Everything begins with analysis. Following the methodology of the Flemish heritage agency (Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed), the research examines pathology, heritage significance and building history on the one hand, and potential future uses on the other. Within the design research phase, a shortlist of programmes—already filtered through a range of spatial, technical and heritage-related criteria—is developed further through concrete design work and detailed spatial studies.