Rue du Centre in Berloz is little more than a street and bears no resemblance to a town centre. Or almost none. For the past year, the Maison Rurale community centre, designed by he-architecten and Georges-Éric Lantair, has served as a meeting place for the 3,000 residents. This long-term project has succeeded in making the most of a complex participatory process and a difficult battle against urban planning regulations.

From Waremme near Liège, a road leads through the fields to Berloz, preceded by a row of wind turbines – a sign that an economic revival may be within reach. The old buildings that characterise the village are no longer in demand: a church with its doors closed, an abandoned castle and a handful of square farmhouses that are inaccessible. There isn’t even a traditional pub on the corner anymore. Where are you supposed to hold a family celebration here? Where should residents’ meetings or after-school activities be organised?