Transformation of the old city hall into a temporary Shoe, Leather, Education facility and Museum. SLEM is a project which responds to a number of acute societal issues. The strategic design intervention generates a strong visual identity for SLEM and added social, economic and ecological value. The project is organised to encourage local participation for both the implementation and exploitation phase.

MUSEUM= EDUCATION
The master's program, exhibitions and related activities will cross-fertilise each other. A strict separation of functions is therefore undesirable, necessitating a reorganisation of the existing fragmented layout. 

The design initially focused on opening the building up on the inside, linking areas and removing individual elements which were added over the years such as suspended ceilings, counters and a dominant entrance canopy, which had made the originally clear architectural structure illegible.

The facade has large windows on all sides creating a strong visual relationship between the interior and environment. A uniform color is introduced to create a contrast between SLEM and the homogenous brick structure which houses it. The color refers to that of newly tanned leather and coats and connects all the different internal areas. This visually reinforces the idea to link the various functions, and simultaneously generates the visual identity for the institution.

LOCAL PARTIES AND A SKILLS TRAINING FOR YOUTHS
All parties involved in the implementation come from Waalwijk and the immediate surroundings. The demolition, finishes and furnishings are all realised with local parties. A professional demolisher and painter guided young people in a skills training process for this work. The initiative of SLEM to settle here provides Waalwijk with a contemporary space for cultural exchange that will have long lasting social end econimic benefits for the city.