In 2015, Charleroi issued the tender for the redevelopment of the Palais des Expositions. This enormous exhibition hall (over 60,000 m²), built in 1953, stood empty for years due to a shrinking economy and declining industrial activity. For the team of architects led by Inge Vinck, Jan De Vylder, and Agwa, responsible for the renovation of the building, the commission provided an opportunity to rethink the concept of Adaptive Reuse. Construction of this ‘urban connector’ is underway; the project is expected to be completed in 2023. In the meantime, photographer Filip Dujardin captured the strength of the structure and the monumentality of the building.