Embedded in medieval urban fabric, the new extension to the Arts centre nOna in Mechelen is a succession of interior and exterior rooms, each with a unique materiality and atmosphere.
Responding to a patchwork of garden walls, sheds and medieval alleyways, three patios conceived as urban ‘rooms’ have been created by dmvA Architecten around a new theatre hall and a forum, which offers experience similar to that of a covered market hall.
The first patio is situated between the alleyway and the front desk, connecting the main street to the inner area. The large patio is an extension of the forum and the long patio gives access to the artists’ foyer at the back. Wide openings blur the lines between inside and outside. These three exterior patios were created in collaboration with artist Nick Ervinck with the concept ‘brick in motion.’
The new hall is a multifunctional concrete box in which the nOna signage is engraved, referring not only to the arts centre but also the name of a former printing business on site. The theatre is a box-in-a-box concept that meets the acoustic requirements of the buildings. Serving as a gate to the inner area, the new building connects to the new site with the existing theatre hall and interacts with the city through a glass façade. LED screens display the programming of the arts centre, thus animating the street and drawing in passers-by.
Sustainability was central to the design with efforts made at various levels. The building is constructed in ‘green’ or circular concrete, with old printing plates of the former printing business reused for the finishing of sanitary walls. Densification of the urban site and the preservation of medieval alleyways further serve to offer new sustainable connections in the city.
