The contract for the radical renovation of two buildings on the PXL campus in Hasselt has been awarded to the successful partnership between the architects at Laboratoire and Sergison Bates. The architectural concept developed creates a cohesive whole with a strong identity, acting as a gateway to the campus. It provides a setting for inspiring teaching and collaboration.

The ‘add and unlock’ approach adopted during the design phase seeks to enhance the building’s potential by making the most of its existing structure. By rethinking how they function, the spaces are expanded and reveal their potential.

The concrete structure of the L-shaped host buildings is extended with a CLT timber structure to form a large rectangular volume. The result is a rational building incorporating moments of generosity: an open-air roof garden, a conservatory, an atrium, and a tower. The tower crowns the building, fitting into the context by engaging with the brick towers of the School of Arts and the Students’ Tower.

The outdoor spaces shape the building’s interior landscape. One floor extends out as a cantilever, sheltering the cycle path whilst creating a terrace. Meanwhile, the staircase along the south façade reveals the life of the campus. The generous, continuous circulation system widens at points to create informal workspaces.

This new learning platform, with its flexible structure punctuated by events, is set amidst a park. It serves as a true hub, capable of managing flows whilst offering moments of respite, with carefully proportioned open spaces designed to encourage a sense of ownership. This rewarding new collaboration between the teams at Laboratoire and Sergison Bates, who have been working together since the Kanal project, continues to create a stimulating new teaching space.