Xavier Hufkens – a leading contemporary art gallery in Europe – reopened its Sint-Jorisstraat gallery in Brussels in the summer of 2022, following a spatial reformulation of the existing flagship gallery with an important new extension by Robbrecht en Daem architecten. The project holds a special connection to the building’s history: thirty years ago, Robbrecht en Daem – in collaboration with Marie-José Van Hee architecten – converted the classical mansion into the gallery’s first home. The design combined the everyday with the artistic experience. That story continues with a new statement in the city of Brussels.
The new building stands apart as a monolithic figure with one side of the building completely detached from its neighbour. This disconnection creates a transition between street and garden, between outside and inside. The interstice allows a flash of light to mark the visual start of (a visit to) the gallery. The rue St-Georges façade, with its single opening, manifests itself as a one-eyed stela and symbolizes ‘the expectation of art'.
The design is an interplay between two houses in which the floor levels are aligned so that a 'promenade architecturale' can run through both sides of the building. The interaction between the new and the existing building creates a Pleiades of different spaces with museum-like proportions in the new building and room-like dimensions in the mansion. This array of scales corresponds to the multiplicity of manifestations in art. A rough, concrete staircase works as a counterpoint to the purity of the gallery spaces. A variety of natural light incidences throughout the gallery creates a wide range of experiences. Consequently, art always relates to the space in a new way.
Team:
Architects: Robbrecht en Daem architecten bv
Collaborators: Paul Robbrecht, Johannes Robbrecht (Directors),Kim Poorters (Senior Architect & Project Architect), Valérie Van Roy, Florence Himpe (Architects), Lara Kinds (Interior Architect),Valerie De Ketelaere (Landscape Architect),Jonas Vanbelle, Thomas Faes, Nathan Van den Bossche, Rieke Vancaeyzeele, Jolien Naeyaert, Filipa Araújo (Assistant Architects)
Execution architect: Robbrecht en Daem architecten bv
Structural Engineering: BAS bvba (Dirk Jaspaert)
Services Engineering: Cenergie nv
Interior Architect: Robbrecht en Daem architecten bv (public and office spaces), François Marcq nv (executive and sales spaces)
Landscape: Wirtz International Landscape Architects nv
Urban Surroundings: Wirtz International Landscape Architects nv
Project Manager: Julien Ridremont (Arcoteam bvba)
Lead Contractor: Jos Reynders Decor nv
Transport and Mobility: Agora nv
Security: Eveka bvba
Sustainability: Cenergie nv
Lighting: SiSi (Siegrid Siderius)
Photographer: Kristien Daem
Materials used:
Subcontractors: De Meuter nv (demolition & excavation)
Smet-F&C nv (foundations: pile walls and shored trenches)
Cornelis-Gees bvba (renovation)
VM Boringen bvba (geothermal drilling)
BMP building services (concrete: structural and fair-faced concrete)
Climabel nv (HVAC and plumbing)
Dimension Lumière nv (electricity)
ESA Security (alarm and access control)
Green nv (solar panels)
Schindler nv (elevator)
Lootens nv (stainless steel and steel exterior joinery)
Velux bv (skylights)
Schiffeleers Glas nv (wooden exterior joinery)
Icomet bvba (stainless steel fire doors)
Secla bvba (forgings)
El Bati (facade renovation)
Crombetec (roofing work)
Vanhees nv (plaster and stucco work)
AT-Chapes bvba (micro-concrete floors)
RV Parket bvba (parquet flooring)
Apers bvba (painting works)
Cools Interior (fixed furniture joinery)
Wuyts bvba (gates & reception furniture)
Atelier Ternier (loose furniture joinery)
DOKA (formwork systems)
Rehau (concrete core activation)
Jansen (window profiles)
Velux (skylights)
Mottura (sun protection systems)
Serge Ferrari (blinds - fabric)
Heinen (fire doors)
FSB (door fittings)
Fermacell (pre-walls)
Schindler (elevator)
Meljac (switches)
Erco (gallery lighting)
Deltalight (office lighting)
Vola (crane work)
Aqualex (faucet work)
