Bovenbouw Architectuur and David Kohn Architects have transformed Hasselt’s 18th-century Beguinage into a new home for Hasselt University’s Faculty of Architecture, set within a public park. The project adapts a historic structure for contemporary academic use while establishing the site as the largest green public space in Hasselt’s historic centre.
Architecture students now occupy a repurposed almshouse, where the attic has been adapted into a studio space. Below, renovated bedrooms feature alcove beds, while decorative stone hearths serve as focal points throughout.
The design acknowledges the building’s domestic history, demonstrating the potential of historic architecture for contemporary use.
Kohn notes, "Institutions can be happy in slightly awkward buildings."
Site and context approach
Originating in the Middle Ages, the Beguinage was historically an enclosed sanctuary for Beguines, religious women who took no vows. The 18th-century site, spanning 6,800 square meters, retained this legacy of enclosure. Its central church was destroyed during World War II, leaving the surrounding gardens underused and isolated. Previous partial use by Hasselt's Z33 contemporary art museum preserved some activity, but the site had largely lost its civic prominence.
The project reinstates the Beguinage’s permeability, introducing a circular street entrance through the historic wall and a public route connecting the site’s new garden rooms. This approach balances heritage conservation with a new civic role, allowing students, residents, and visitors to circulate freely through formerly enclosed spaces.
Adaptive reuse and spatial strategy
Historic terraced houses have been refurbished to maintain their domestic character while accommodating educational functions. Atelier spaces, shared kitchens, auditoriums, and exhibition areas provide flexible academic and public programming.
Interventions respect past typologies: enfilades have been extended, fireplaces converted into doorways, and attic spaces adapted with copper-clad dormer windows. Oak frames with MDF infill tie interventions together without compromising the historic fabric.
The former church footprint has been repurposed as a reflecting pool, capable of conversion into an event stage. A 30-metre belvedere rises above the enclosure, marking a relationship between past and present and establishing the Beguinage as a visual marker in the city skyline.
Materiality and sustainability
The project’s approach to embodied carbon emphasizes the conservation and reuse of historic materials. Roof tiles, terracotta floors, windows, doors, mantles, and stone sills were repaired and reinstated wherever possible.
Locally sourced replacements were employed only when necessary, including oak furniture, clay flooring, and brown-purple brick. Secondhand furniture sourced by Rotor DC further reduced new material production. These strategies contribute to an estimated 30 percent reduction in embodied carbon compared to a typical new-build of similar scale.
Operational carbon performance was improved through discreet interventions that respect the historic fabric. An insulating sarking layer beneath existing roof tiles, custom insulating lime plaster on interior walls, ultra-thin secondary glazing, and modern ventilation integrated into attics, chimney flues, and built-in furniture reduce heating and cooling demand.
Efficient HVAC and heating systems complement these measures, resulting in an efficient operational strategy that balances energy reduction with heritage conservation constraints.
Durable and repairable materials, including oak joinery and modular MDF infill panels, support future adaptation and reduce the need for replacement. Historic doors, mantles, and windows were restored to extend their functional life.
The project incorporates circular economy principles. The interior and attic spaces are designed with flexibility in mind, enabling the buildings to adapt to changing academic and public functions over time. Several architectural features, including oak frames, joinery, mantels, and furniture, can be disassembled and repurposed. This approach supports future reuse and contributes to the long-term sustainability of the site.
