Gare Victoire
22012
Located near Ronse railway station is a derelict former goods warehouse for which we were commissioned to investigate and develop potential adaptive reuse strategies for this protected heritage building.
The goods warehouse occupies a strategic location within the planned redevelopment of Ronse’s station district. As the terminus of the railway line, both the station building (the oldest railway station building on the European mainland) and the warehouse have historically fulfilled an important gateway function for the city. This urban mobility hub, connecting various transport flows and city districts, offers significant opportunities and qualities both local and regional.
In addition to defining a suitable future function, the study focused on logistical and mobility-related challenges, as well as the restoration of the deteriorated building. Dating from the early twentieth century, the warehouse has considerable historical-industrial value.
The building is characterised by a brick-built headhouse, which formerly accommodated the ticket offices and administrative spaces, and a long, open warehouse hall opening onto an elevated loading platform along the railway tracks. The rhythmic sequence of arched recesses, alternating between doors and windows, lends the building a strong monumental character.
Within this context, we carried out an adaptive reuse study exploring three potential development scenarios: commercial, cultural, and business-oriented. For each scenario, the relevant design constraints, feasibility, and operational requirements were carefully assessed.
The commercial proposal divides the warehouse hall into five retail units, while the headhouse is converted into a café or restaurant. Each unit is provided with an external service module containing the required ancillary facilities, preserving the distinctive openness of the warehouse. These modules are designed to resemble railway freight wagons, referencing the site’s industrial history.
The IJzerlaan serves as the primary visitor axis and is punctuated by a series of public seating and gathering areas. Along the railway side, a cycling highway connects directly to the station. This route is further activated by extending the café terrace towards the cycle path.
The business-oriented proposal transforms the building into a coworking hub while retaining the hospitality function within the headhouse. In this scenario, the external service modules are omitted. Instead, the required support facilities are concentrated at both ends of the warehouse hall, preserving the uninterrupted openness of the central space. When required, the hall can be flexibly subdivided into smaller units using movable partition walls.
programme
repurposing of a protected station shed
location
Ronse
task
architecture interior study infrastructure
date
2022
status
Design
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