Restauration, renovation and extention of the Balengebouw (industrial storage building) into a museum for the art works of Jan Cremer. The ‘Balengebouw’ (the bale building) was part of the ‘Katoenspinnerij Bamshoeve’ (Coton Mill Bamshoeve). The cotton mill had its factory buildings in Roombeek from 1896 till the beginning of the 1980’s. During the fireworks disaster of 2000, the major part of the factory burned down. The Balengebouw is the only building keeping the remembrance alive of Katoenspinnerij Bamshoeve and has been given the status of monument. The height of the 4 floors of the Balengebouw is not sufficient for a public function. The net height per storey is about 1,95 m2. Also the inflow of day light is not enough. Here is where the restrictions are to use the existing building as a museum with commercial functions. The requirements for the museum functions and climate control asked by the program and the realization of a new function in an existing context make it necessary to adjust building parts like for instance the isolation of walls and floors. To do this cautiously, SeARCH choose to make a new, isolated ground floor 1,50 m deep into the ground. With this the museum requirements and that of the higher ceilings are met, without destroying the appearance and the structure. The first floor is reserved for technical installations (the ceiling therefore does not need to be elevated). The roof on the top floor will be lifted up a little. The existing roof is no longer meeting the required standards. A new construction is necessary and an isolation layer will be adjusted. By lifting up the roof room is created for the permanent exhibitions.The package ‘façade – ceiling – construction’ of the third floor is elevated by cutting through the building and to lift it up. By doing so, sufficient height is created without destroying the connection between the skin of the building and its interiors.