우리네 정선과는 사뭇 다른 대안공간이 창출됩니다.
과거의 영광은 뒤로 한채 더이상의 활력을 찾아 볼 수 없는 탄광촌은
여는 산업도시처럼 적막한 보이드 스페이스로 전락합니다.
벨기에 겐트지방 또한 이러한 고민거리를 새로운 커뮤티니 스페이스로 통합하는
변화를 시도 합니다. 새롭게 조성되는 도시광장은 컬쳐, 크리에이티브, 디자인 그리고
레크레이션 기능을 포괄적으로 담는 커다란 장으로 형성되며
이전에 석탄채굴을 위해 사용되었던 건축물들을 재구성합니다.
도시의 노드점으로써 대형극장, 시네마, 레스토랑 그리고 새롭게 증축되는
겐트 디자인 아카데미 스페이스를 확보함으로써 어반커뮤니티의 중심에
도시광장이 자리 잡게 됩니다. 도시광장은 각종 커뮤니티 시설을 통합하는 동시에
스펙타클한 오프스페이스를 이용한 다양한 이벤트와 겐트지방의 야외문화활동을
지원하는 장이 됩니다.
reviewed by SJ
Dutch firm HOSPER landscape architecture & urbanism
has sent us images of its latest project, GENK C-M!NE, an urban square
design for the revitalized mining area C-Mine in Genk, Belgium. C-Mine
houses various creative industries as well as cultural functions and is
currently hosting Manifesta, The European Biennial of Contemporary Art. The design of the square was a collaborative effort of HOSPER with Carmela Bogman Art In The Public Space and ARA Dries Beys.
Space for the spectacular!
The C-M!ne square, situated on a former coalmining site, is the
central open space of the new cultural centre of Genk. It will become an
urban square with a cultural, creative, design and recreational
function. Most of the buildings around the square are former mining
buildings, renovated and transformed into buildings with a cultural
program; a large theatre, a cinema, restaurants and the (newly built)
design academy of Genk. The design of the square interacts with the
surrounding buildings and will facilitate and create space for all sorts
of spectacle. The square makes a spectacular open space; the events and
activities planned on the square enhance the square as the cultural
heart of Genk.
Awards: first prize design competition cultural square
Location: Genk, Belgium
Client: City of Genk
Area: 0.5 hectares
Year of design: 2006 – 2012
Completion date: 2012
Designers: Hanneke Kijne, Petrouschka Thumann, Han Konings, Remco Rolvink, Ronald Bron, Hilke Floris
Partners: ARA Atelier Ruimtelijk Advies, Carmela Bogman industrial design, Painting with Light, NU architectuuratelier
One level surface
The need to create opportunities for a wide range of activities on the
square results in a “one level surface”. An obstacle-free surface
ensures that the square can be used for a wide variety of purposes. Of
course, at times of activities and a large numbers of visitors the
square will be lively and marvellous. However, it will remain a very
special square even when there are fewer visitors, no activities and the
surrounding buildings are outside normal opening hours.
Building bricks
The square is paved with black slate slabs of different sizes and laid
in an informal pattern. The black slate refers to the “black gold” from
the mines and is the same material as the waste material from the mining
activities that was placed on the terrins (cairns) around Genk. The
paving includes lighting in the surface as well as the possibility for a
water surface, the creation of mist just above the surface and
removable seating. A great deal of attention is given to the night-time
appearance of the square, with lighting illuminating the surrounding
façades and the former mining shaft towers. The two shaft towers are
both given a function on the square. The Belgian office Nu
architectuuratelier designed an attractive route that follows the former
mining corridors under the oldest shaft tower and the ruin of the
former mining reception building and ends with a fantastic view on top
of the youngest and tallest shaft tower.
Furniture
Special seating furniture was designed for the square by Carmela Bogman
industrial design, in cooperation with HOSPER. The ‘single scatter’
street furniture is concentrated in a number of ‘clouds’ on the square,
where the chairs and stools are arranged in an informal pattern.
Different arrangements are thus possible for people who want to sit
close together and for people who prefer to sit further apart, facing
one another or with their backs to one another.
The chairs and stools, which are made of a folded stainless steel plate, glitter like diamonds against the black surface of the square. The internal and rear surfaces of the furniture are powder-coated in fire-engine red. The red surfaces of some of the chairs are lit from below, thus creating a warm glow around them at night.
C-m!ne is designed to be Genk’s cultural centre, with plenty of room and practically unlimited scope for all kinds of events and activities. One of the main requirements on the seating is therefore that it should be easily removable. To this end, each chair or stool is mounted with the aid of four bolts on a base, which is designed so as to blend into the rest of the surface of the square without leaving any differences in level over which people could trip when the seating has been removed.
from bustler