Faculty of Architecture Uliege - Outremeuse
Faculty of Architecture ULiege - OutremeuseIn 2000, the former Fonck barracks were taken over by the École supérieure des Arts Saint-Luc Liège and the Institut supérieur d'Architecture Saint-Luc. The location quickly became one of the campuses in the city center, where groups of art students meet. The campus is shared with the Faculty of Architecture ofULiège, which promotes collaboration and meetings. Under the direction of Eugène Moreau from the AUSE architectural group, the large, initial spaces are respected but reconditioned to fully perform their educational tasks.Specific studios have been designed to allow the student to work to maximum effect, such as the studios for design, engraving, screen printing, lithography, painting or sculpture. There is a cafeteria with 400 seats, administrative buildings, a concierge, large exhibition or workshop spaces and a library.The site of the school campus was originally a priory mentioned in texts as early as 1231. It was affiliated with the French Order of the Val des Écoliers and was then established on a small island formed by the Meuse and one of the many arms of the Ourthe. The campus still possesses the rare Gothic architecture of a church, with forecourt (14th century) and a beautiful old chapter house, which serves as an exhibition space at the school.In the 17th century, the priory became a monastery for schoolchildren with many changes, such as the monumental staircase from the 18th century that now leads to the secretariat. During the revolution of 1789 it was secularized and converted into a field hospital with barracks. The many horse rings in the walls and the pits carved out of stone are reminders of the military past.A new building for the architecture faculty in OutremeuseThrough an international architectural competition, the design of the Brussels architects OFFICE KGDVS was selected for a new building of3600 m2 with educational activities (workshops), research and administration of the ULiège faculty of architecture. The design of the new building is the result of a close dialogue with the various residents of the Fonck campus. It is also intended as a showcase and a project that promotes exchanges with teachers and architecture students throughout the process, like a full-scale studio.
Manege - Caserne Fonck - architect Daniel Dethier
Manege - Caserne FonckAmong the sober and functional buildings built in the 1830s to redesign a badly damaged monastery for military use, the Caserne Fonck manege has a special heritage value. The riding school (built in 1837) shows the extent of the regiment's activities. The enormous brick facade is divided into registers and bordered by a simple decor. The quality of the structure comes from the inside out. The military engineers demonstrated their technical prowess by covering a 1,700 square meter space with a wooden frame that rests entirely on the exterior walls, without any intermediate support. Designed according to a model invented by Colonel Emy, who was professor of fortifications at the military academy of Saint-Cyr, the roof structure consists of trusses of curved and composite beams.After the army withdrew, the Caserne Fonck was sold in 1998. In 2009 architect Daniel Dethier was commissioned for the restoration and conversion of the former riding school into a performance and event space, storage spaces, offices, technical areas and loading zones.For the restauration all extensions were demolished, only the 1935 extension added to the northern facade was retained to separate access to the building and to provide space for changing rooms, a reception area, offices and a multi-purpose room. The single volume added is discreet: at the back of the manege was built a very contemporary looking structure to house the boiler room, ventilation unit, high and low voltage cabins, a repair shop, a landscape shop and access to the basement level .Architect Daniel Dethier: "Our efforts were aimed at preserving the grandeur of the building by opening up the interior space as much as possible. We also took care to preserve the traces of time". The elegance of certain elements confirms this approach; you can see it in the ironwork on the large sliding exterior gates. All mechanical elements are hidden or movable. “One of the most exciting ideas of the project was to dig and create a large underground storage space for stage equipment, which can be easily moved with a stage lift. It is a huge “toolbox”, where everything has its place.”
Le Balloir - architect Charles Vandenhove
Le Balloir, 1988-2000 The current building was built in the 16th century and often renovated. The secular Abbot of Visé and Archdeacon of the Ardennes, Jean-Ernest, Baron Surlet de Chokier, founded the Hospice Sainte Barbe des filles insoumises here in 1698. Following a principle close to a general hospital, a mix of people were housed there: lost girls, beggars, vagabonds, 'frenetic', fools, madmen, etc. The qualifications vary, but it always involved women of which the government didn't want them hanging around freely on the streets. In 1770 there were 140 residents.After various functions it became an orphanage for girls. In 1850, when there were 150 orphans, the hospice committee entrusted their care to the Sisters of St. Charles and during the two wars the complex had different functions: hospital and prison.In 1986, the city, which owned the complex, decided to sell it to 'La Maison Heureuse', founded by Abbot Emile Gerratz. The buildings were renovated to better suit the planned project, namely the temporary or permanent shelter of children who were taken care of there by a court decision.The Le Balloir project bears witness to the special ties between Charles Vandenhove and La Maison Heureuse, whose architect designed the head office in Ans a few years earlier. It is also a testament to the dedication of Abbot Gerratz, the founder of The Happy House, whose life is entirely focused on helping those in need. As with the operations at Hors-Château and Torrentius, this is a complex of high historical value that was once occupied by the Hospice Sainte-Barbe, some of whose buildings date back to the 17th century.The new building across the street contains twenty-six apartments (2,400 m2).and is completely made of exposed concrete. The facades are constructed with red colored concrete in the mass. The new building will be connected to a chapel by a footbridge above the roadway.
Parc St. Leonard
The Saint-Léonard Park, also called the Saint-Léonard Esplanade, is an esplanade & park north of the Place des Déportés (parking lot with trees towards the water)At this site, the water-filled St. Léonard canal of the Meuse was dug in the 13th century, serving as the moat at northern city walls of the city of Liège and as a refuge for boats in case of floods or river debacles. The canal, which was dug perpendicular to the Maas, was approximately 400 meters long. During the 19th century, the canal was filled up. At the beginning of the 19th century, a weekly horse market was held there.In the mid-19th century, the neo-Gothic St. Léonarde prison was built here, designed by the Brussels architect Joseph Jonas Dumont. This imposing building where resistance fighters and political opponents were imprisoned during the Second World War served as a prison until 1979 before being demolished in 1982.The site left vacant after the demolition of the Saint-Léonard prison leaves a large space of approximately 18,000 m2 and was converted into a public space in 2001, following a design competition organized in 1994 by the city of Liège. The esplanade was given the official name Parc Saint-Léonard. The combination that won the competition in 1994 consisted of the architectural firm Baumans-Deffet (Arlette Baumans), the architectural firm Aloys Beguin - Brigitte Massart and Anne Rondia.The design assignment consisted of:* The handling of road traffic,* The construction of the current parking lot on the Place des Déportés:* The construction of a square and a large open esplenade for various activities* Creation of the Carmelite ForestToday the square is a place to meet and relax. It is visited by the entire neighborhood, large and small and from all backgrounds. There is also a memorial place, the back wall of which is decorated with an excerpt from Garcia Lorca's poem: 'In the flag of freedom I have embroidered the greatest love of my life.' A stainless steel band runs the entire length of the square with a poem by Savitskaya, 'Foot on the hard, the soft, on the coal and vineyard soil, on the dust and the gun ground, on the chains, the bars and the hundred thousandth bricks and to the bright wood divided by a wallwork...' This is a place that has become a testimony to cultural diversity and freedom of expression.
Cour Saint-Antoine - architect Charles Vandenhove
In the Hors-Château district, the built heritage is rich at the end of the 1980s, but outdated and no longer meets the needs of the residents. Although the government could have introduced a new tabula rasa policy, they decided to take a completely different path.The urban renewal project in the Hors-Château district is being implemented by the Société de Développement régional pour la Wallonie (SDRW), which aims to 'promote the strengthening and restructuring of urban cores' while supporting the construction of accessible housing in city centers .This is a turning point for Charles Vandenhove. For the first time he will work as an architect in an area with a high historical value. The approach is based on three pillars: renovation of houses on Rue Hors-Château, the construction of new homes in Rue des Brasseurs and construction of a traffic-free courtyard in an island. The renovation of old homes takes into account the need to offer a wide range of housing options, from the house to the 3-bedroom apartment and a studio.The intervention in the 13 old houses (1979-1985) is careful and prohibits any standardized solution. However, Charles Vandenhove succeeds in combining the preservation of historical features with a contemporary interpretation. Along the Rue des Brasseurs, the architect draws new two-storey buildings with a gable roof and a tower.The complex is built above an underground parking garage and consists of almost 30 homes and various commercial or office spaces. With this part of the project, Vandenhove responds to the industrialization challenge of the SDRW, including by using the architectural concrete that it has long mastered.Contemporary and historical ensembles are in consistent dialogue: original dimensions of doors and windows, replacement of crosses with bronze columns and crossbeams, crossed doors and windows with colorful square tiles... Between the renovated buildings and the new building, Vandenhove has a small square on the ends closed by two small houses. The square is open to the public and is intended as a resting place. A fountain feeds a flume that runs to a sculpture by Anne and Patrick Poirier reminiscent of the Mayan temple at Tikal.
The impasses in the Hors-Château district
These are narrow and exciting pedestrian paths that are sometimes accessed through an arched passageway (Walloon: an arvô) at the front of a building. Six of these eight Impasses end on the Rue Hors-Château. They are lined by old, often well-restored, small proletarian houses, but also by more bourgeois buildings, restaurants and sometimes a small high-hanging Marian chapel.They are an oasis of peace and quiet in the immediate vicinity of the bustling historic center of Liège. In the past, these Impasses were mainly inhabited by craftsmen who practiced textile professions, such as weavers and tailors. Many houses, many dating from the 17th century, are included in the list of Wallonia's cultural heritage.Every first Saturday of October for more than 25 years, the Nocturne des Coteaux de la Citadelle has taken place in the historic districts of Liège. Streets, courtyards, stairs, terraces, paths and impasses bear witness to the ancient landscape of Liège. During the evening, the locations are subtly lit with candles and every year around forty thousand visitors come to enjoy the fairytale atmosphere.In addition to the illuminated Montagne de Bueren, the Impasse des Ursulines and the others are especially a fairytale. Via a narrower staircase, you can climb the Coteaux de la Citadelle to the Terrasses des Minimes with their unique view of Liège. If you want to experience it, be there on time, it is always very busy.
Montagne de Bueren
The Montagne de Bueren is a staircase of 374 steps - strategically constructed in the 19th century as a direct access from the Citadel barracks to the city center - that connects the Féronstrée and Hors-Château districts with the Péri and the Citadel. This imposing staircase is reminiscent of Vincent de Bueren (1440-1505), who headed six hundred Franchimontois who defended Liège against the Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold.Every year, on the 1st Saturday of October, during the Nocturne, the stairs are illuminated by thousands of candles, offering the public a glittering spectacle. Since 2010, another event has taken place every two years in June: Bueren en Fleurs, a floral fresco of approximately 25,000 flower/plant decorations designed by the Plantation Service of the city of Liège and placed on the stairs by the staff of the municipal service.
Musée de la Vie Wallon
In 1243 the Franciscans settled in Liège. The Monastery of the Friars Minor is a place of prayer and becomes a privileged place in the public life of the "Fiery City". During the 17th century it was completely rebuilt in the Mosan Renaissance style. This style usually combines - in layers - bricks with bluestone,The corners of the facades are mitred/decorated with bluestone. The roof is slate with steep slopes. The only decorative elements were patterns and masks sculpted from tuff. During the French Revolution, religious were forced to leave the site (1796) and the site was divided into five blocks.The first renovation was carried out between 1963 and 1971. A second renovation project was carried out from 2004 - 2008, followed by the opening of the new museum.The monastery is grouped around an old classical courtyard by means of a vaulted gallery and is decorated in a contemporary style. It has become a place where many events take place: concerts, puppet theater in summer, street theater during the Fêtes de Wallonia... It is a contemporary building of two floors overlooking the vaulted galleries of the monastery. In the summer you can fully enjoy this historic setting on the terrace of restaurant 'Le Cloître'.The Musée de la Vie Wallon offers an original view of Wallonia from the 19th century to the present. The museum regularly organizes temporary exhibitions, spread over two rooms, and it offers a wide range of activities. It continues the art of the Liège puppeteer and the traditional repertoire in the authentic setting of its theater, offers many social debates with its lecture program and invites the public with topics on social issues through the symposia it organizes. It opens itself to researchers through its Documentation Center and its funds.
Palais des princes-évêques de Liège
The Prince-Bishops Palace of Liège or Episcopal Palace of Liège is located on Place Saint-Lambert in the center of Liège. A first palace, integrated into the fortifications, was built around the year 1000 by Prince-Bishop Notger and disappeared in a fire in 1185. The palace was rebuilt under Raoul de Zähringen.The second building, which was severely damaged after the plunder of 1468 by the Burgunds, suffered the same fate in 1505. The current palace, now the courthouse of Liège, was rebuilt in the 16th century at the initiative of Cardinal Érard de La Marck, on the site of an old building destroyed during the sack of Charles the Bold. In 1526 he entrusted the construction of a new palace to the master builder Arnold van Mulken. Construction was completed at the end of the 16th century.In 1849, a new west wing was built in neo-Gothic style by architect Jean-Charles Delsaux for the services of the provincial government. The palace will be used as a Kommandantur by the German occupiers during the First and Second World Wars.In the 21st century, the building was occupied by both the provincial services and the Palace of Justice. The large courtyard is surrounded by galleries with raised arches with both massive and elegant columns with richly decorated capitals. The variety of decorations on the columns is extraordinary. The second courtyard accessible through the palace is more intimate. It is also closed to the public except on rare occasions such as Heritage Days. The palace was proposed as a World Heritage Site in 2008 and is on UNESCO's 'indicative list' in the cultural heritage category.
Cathédrale Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Lambert
The church of Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Lambert was the cathedral of Liege in 1794, when it was destroyed. The enormous Gothic cathedral was located on the Place Saint Lambert in the heart of Liege. With two choirs, two transepts, three buildings with three floors, a circuit of apside and collateral chapels, a monastery and a 135 meter high tower the cathedral of Notre-Dame-et-Sint-Lambert was the largest church in the the Middle Ages in the western world and the most important monument in the Maas-gotiek. It could accommodate 4.000 people.The murder of Bishop Lambert of MaastrichtLambert, bishop of Maestricht, was murdered by the men of Dodon around 705 on the grounds of a former Gallo-Roman villa in Maastricht. Although the saint was first buried in Maestricht, his successor Saint Hubert repatriated his body and buried it on the Place Saint-Lambert. Shortly afterwards, the episcopal seat was moved from Maestricht to Liège and the cathedral was built on this site in honor of Bishop Lambert.In 1794, on the French regime, the cathedral was broken down in the wake of the Liège revolution. The Liege revolutionaries saw the cathedral as a symbol of the power of the prince-bishop. The demolition of the large towers was put out to tender in 1795. In 1803 the western tower was blown up. The site was finally leveled in 1827.In 2000, a scaffolding with tarpaulins as a 1:1 mass model of the east choir of St. Lambertus Cathedrall was added to the newly designed St. Lambertus Square in Liège.
l'îlot Saint-Michel
The island of Saint-Michel is a complex of modern buildings. The complex was built west of the Place Sint-Lambert and opened in September 1999. It has shops, offices and homes.In the 1960s, politicians and technicians agreed to adapt the center of Liège to car traffic. The Lejeune Plan was adopted in 1968. It includes the plan to turn Sint-Lambertplein into a highway intersection and to create a large bus station and two thousand parking spaces in the basement.The development plan involves a lot of demolition work. As a result, the entire district between Place Saint-Lambert and Rue Haute-Sauvenière will disappear during the 1970s. For years, Place St Lambert has been a big hole and a construction site.Several projects followed each other until 1984, when architect Claude Strebelle was commissioned to completely redesign the layout of the city center, taking into account all parties involved. In 1985 he made a first master plan and developed the ideas into what stands today.The complex consists of four buildings around three pedestrian streets, the Rue Saint-Michel, the Rue de l'Official and the Rue de la Popculaire. The various buildings on the island were designed by the architects Claude Strebelle (coordinator), Bruno Albert, Lemaire & Gérard and Bernard Herbecq, Jean-Noël Capart (landscape architect) and Atelier du Sart-Tilman. Artists Jean Glibert, Léon Wuidar and Dan Van Severen have created works of art that are integrated into the complex.
Hotel Torrentius - architect Charles Vandenhove
Hotel Torrentius was built in the second half of the 16th century and is attributed to the Liège architect Lambert Lombard. It is one of the most beautiful gems of patrician architecture in Liège. The hotel was built for the prelate, poet and philologist Liévin van der Beken, who is also known for his contribution to the founding of the Jesuit College of Leuven.The building is located near the St. Cross Church and was purchased in 1978 by architect Charles Vandenhove to establish his studio. With Hotel Torrentius, Vandenhove masters a new classical language that he will later use in iconic operations, such as the renovation of the Hors-Château district.The interior, with artistic interventions by Daniel Buren, Olivier Debré and Léon Wuidar, among others, testifies to the will to give contemporary art a place in the restored building.
Restaurant "Du Point de Vue"
Typical Liège restaurant that has been in existence since 1972 and welcomes its customers in the 17th century building, 50 meters from the Royal Opera and Place Saint-Lambert, the heart of the 'fiery city' of LiègeSpecialties worth tasting:* Boulets à la Liégeoise* Lapin à la Liégeoise* Tête de veau Tortue* Rognons à la Liégeoise* Roulades ArdennaisesAnd don't forget the Belgian beer .....
Opéra Royal de Wallonie
The Royal Opera of Wallonia is an opera house on the Place de l'Opéra, in the center of Liège. Together with La Monnaie and the Flemish Opera, it is one of the three major opera houses in the kingdom. From the beginning, the institution has been located in the Royal Theater in Liège, a building that opened on November 4, 1820.The city became owner of the building in 1854. The statue in front of the building is by the Liège composer André Grétry and is the work of sculptor Guillaume Geefs.The musician's heart was placed in the base of the statue in 1842. In 1861, architect Julien-Étienne Rémont renovated the hall and the building, which was extended by several meters at the back and the sides. The new Second Empire-style hall accommodatet 1,500 visitors.From 2009 to 2012, the building underwent a major renovation/restauration, both on the outside and on the inside. The historic parts have been returned to their original state (large foyer, staircase and hall). The 'Italian' hall (1,041 seats) and the stage make it one of the most modern theaters in the world. The project was carried out by architect Yves Jacques + Origin Architecture & Engineering (restoration), A2RC (renovation and extension), Architectes Associés (technical specialists), Bureau Greisch (construction), Arte (stage equipment) & Daniel Commins (acoustic)The building is also being enlarged. Similar to the renovation of the 'Opéra de Lyon' by architect Jean Nouvel fifteen years earlier, an ultra-modern structure was installed to increase the height of the stage tower. The hall is equipped with a so-called multifunctional hall (Raymond Rossius Hall) that can accommodate smaller performances, rehearsals, symposia and lectures.
Sauvenière Cinema - architects Studio's V+
For several decades, the city of Liège, like many other European cities, has witnessed the disappearance of cinemas from the center, caused by competition from big suburban cinema complexes.In response to this, a competition was held for a new cinema in the city center. The competition was won by the young architectural firm Studio V+ (Bureau Vers plus de bien-être) from BrusselsLe Sauvenière is a film complex on Xavier Neujean Square in the center of Liège. The cinema opened in 2008 and has 4 halls with a total capacity of 798 seats, a courtyard and a brewery with a capacity of 400 people, where numerous concerts and lectures are held. It is part of the Europa Cinemas network.
La Cité Mirroir
Before the current La Cité Mirroir, there was Les Bains de la Sauvenière - a sports complex and public baths - between Boulevard de la Sauvenière and Place Xavier Neujean. The complex was built in 1938 in 'Packet Boat Style', a modernist architectural style from the interbellum. This style refers to the streamlined aesthetic of packet boats, which flourished in the first half of the twentieth century.In October 1936, the city council approved a plan to build a bathhouse on the site of a school on the Place Xavier Neujean. The design of the building is by architect Georges Dedoyard, who was selected following an architectural competition.Construction began in 1938, but was delayed by the outbreak of World War II. The building was not completed and opened to the public until May 1942. The large six-storey 'Packet Boat Style' building has a sports complex and an indoor swimming pool. The most striking feature is the large swimming pool hall on the 3rd floor, which is 80 meters long and several tens of meters high. The hall is illuminated by a large glass roof in the concrete vault of the Cristalleries du Val-Saint-Lambert, supported by eight reinforced concrete arches.The complex consists of a large hall with two swimming pools, the recreational pool (25 m x 15 m) and the large swimming pool, with Olympic dimensions at that time (33 m x 14 m), surrounded by stands with heated benches for 1250 spectators, areas for swimming and and hydrotherapy, a restaurant and a bus station on the ground floor.In the mid-1990s, the threat of the building's demolition initially caused no excitement. But following the publication of an article by art historian Flavio Di Campli, a citizen campaign is organized to save the building and a petition is launched.In 2000, the pool closed its doors due to non-compliance with safety standards. The building is partially abandoned and only a few facilities are still in use. A renovation project is started, but as time passes, the renovation project is stopped.In 2009, the 'La Cité Mirroir' project- Triangle Architectes et Bureau d’études Pierre Beugnier et associés sa Fabian Gérardy, Pascal Jacques en Thierry Moxhet - was launched, with the aim of turning it into a cultural and permanent educational place for citizenship, memory and dialogue between cultures. It must accommodate theater, music, lectures, debates, workshops, permanent and temporary exhibitions. The completely renovated building has a theater hall, a specialized media library, a specialized bookstore, conference and debate rooms, a cafeteria and permanent and temporary exhibition spaces.. The opening took place on January 14, 2014.
Bookstore 'Livre aux Trésors'
A bit hidden away on Place Xavier-Neujean is a bookstore with special attention for youth.The first 'Livre Aux Tressoir' was founded at the end of 2002. That was the idea of Philippe Marczewski, a researcher in neuropsychology who practiced this profession for six years. He starts 'Livre aux Trésors' without any experience and focuses on youth & the literature of the imagination.In 2011, the bookstore moved to Place Xavier-Neujean. The team is particularly impressed by the expansive space with an impressive glass roof. Previously there was an architectural firm located there and now bookstore 'Livre aux Trésors' is a hospitable place that is open to the enthusiast for a lot of literature, but only visible from the square through the large double doors!
Maison Oury - architect Paul Jaspar
Maison Oury, a buildingfrom 1898 on the corner of Rue Sébastien Laurelle was designed by architect Paul Jaspar for the dentist Oury. Paul Jaspar, one of the great masters of Liège Art Nouveau, uses the typical features of traditional 'Maasland Architecture' here in a new way: The alternation between brick and natural stone, stone cross frames, small stained glass windows, an overhanging cornice on wooden supports, half-timbered decorations on the bay window, etc.Yet we also see a number of symbolist or Art Nouveau features emerging, such as the flat roof and the grilles with leaves on the cellar windows. The lintel above the main entrance contains a sculpted head by the artist Berchmans.
Passage Lemonnier
The Passage Lemonnier is a covered passage that connects the Vinâve d'Île with the Rue de l'Université and is crossed in the middle by the Rue Lulay des Fèbvres.The Passage Lemonnier, built between 1836 and 1838 by the architects Louis-Désiré Lemonnier and Henri-Victor Beaulieu, is the oldest covered trading passage in Belgium and one of the oldest in Europe.The Passage was completed eight years earlier than the Galeries royales Saint-Hubert by architect Jean-Pierre Cluysenaar, which was inaugurated in Brussels in 1847. The Passage Lemonnier was a major novelty in Belgium at that time and a quite exceptional building for Liège, allowing it to compete with other important cities. His influence went beyond the borders, which was reflected in the number of traders of foreign origin who settled here.Passage Lemonnier became an attraction and the crowds forced the owners to hire several security guards to ensure safety. But the most interesting thing is the birth of the first 'Carré' in Liège, where the public can take a walk on the Vinâve d'Île, the Rue Cathédrale, the Rue de l'Université and the Rue Pont d'Île (a square) with the Passage Lemonnier in the middle.In 1914, the shop windows were expanded and the thresholds of the shop windows on the Rue Vinâve side were lowered. In the years that followed, the Lemonnier Passage fell into an advanced state of disrepair. The manager of the passage, Louis Dabin, contacted a good friend, the promising young architect Henri Snyers (Liège, 1901-1980), and entrusted him with the complete renovation of the whole. Snyers is a member of the architectural group L'Équerre, and undoubtedly one of the most interesting Belgian architectural firms of the 20th century.The architectural attitude is directly inspired by contemporary references: the modern quarters of Frugès that Le Corbusier built in Pessac-Bordeaux (1926-1927) and the Parisian ensemble rue Robert Mallet-Stevens (1926-1927). The two men plan to build “the first large modern complex in Liège” on the site of the passage.In 1939, the renovation was completed with the artistic contribution of sculptor Madeleine Schoofs for the sculptures of the dome. Ultimately, only the first two levels will be renovated and the glass roofs replaced.The complexity of the new installed glass cladding, a skillful installation of semi-crystal glass blocks from Val Saint-Lambert with thin connections, contrasts with the apparent simplicity of the overall design. Due to the new lighting, the glass roof, especially at the height of the dome, is also clearly visible in the evening.
Galerie Cathédrale
'Galerie Cathédrale' was built in 1954. A shopping arcade over two floors with various shops and the famous Chinese restaurant 'Le Shanghai' on the first floor.The beautiful 60s details are still visible here and there in the windows and the finishes of the store exteriors. But it is becoming less and less. Fortunately, there is still the mosaic on the ground floor and the stained glass window on the first floor. Both designs by the famous Liège 'cubist' artist Jean Rets.
Théâtre de Liège - architect Pierre Hebbelinck
Since 2013, the city of Liège has had a contemporary theater that is partly housed in the building of the Société Libre d'Emulation, an association that has been active since the 18th century and is committed to the promotion of knowledge and culture.The place has a turbulent history. In 1914, 17 civilians were shot there and the building was reduced to ashes. It was rebuilt in 1939 by architect Koenig in a neoclassical style and with a reinforced concrete structure and a free plan.In 2003, the architecture studio Pierre Hebbelinck and Pierre de Wit were commissioned for a feasibility study, followed by the construction phase in 2011. The starting points were: Tangible and intangible heritage, a memorial site, a determining urban context and the creation of a contemporary theater in a building that had a different function.The requested program is large. The surface area has doubled compared to the available space. The architectural firm strives to optimize space, first within the building itself and then in the urban space. The building from 1939 houses the main hall, the reception, the circulation areas, the restaurant and the administrative areas. The small hall, the artists' rooms, the cafeteria and a number of technical, storage and production areas are housed in new volumes on the Place du XX août and in a nearby street.The new function of the location, which was transformed into a theater, required an accurate acoustic study. The work on the glass facade of the small hall resulted in a technical and architectural solution. The small hall is both a rehearsal room and a concert hall. The collaboration between architects and acousticians has resulted in a sloping facade, in which several glass sets with an airspace of varying thickness are combined to influence the entire sound spectrum.A work of art by Patrick Corillon is included in the Théâtre de Liège. A long collaboration between the artist and the architectural firm resulted in the insertion of a selection of words and fragments of texts spread throughout the building.
Expansion of Libraire Pax
It is a pleasure, in the smell of glue and paper, in the comforting density of the books, as you escape the hustle and bustle of the outside world. In the heart of Liège, opposite the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, near the Emulation, the (future) home of the Théâtre de la Place.It offers more than 600 m2 of bookstore over 3 floors, served by passionate booksellers. With a large selection of scientific books in the basement and on the 2nd floor a beautiful Youth- and Comics department near the Fine Arts & Architecture department. Including of course the 'Guide Architecture Moderne et Contemporaine 1895-2014 Liège'.The 2012 expansion of the Pax bookstore on the first floor of Cockerillplein no. 4 and 6 is the work of Architectenwerkplaats Aloys Beguin-Brigitte Massart SPRL. The design assignment consisted of improving the accessibility of the various platforms and the installation of a lift. Thanks to its architecture and the many renovations, the Pax bookstore received the Prix d'Urbanisme de la Ville de Liège.
La Grande Poste
The Grand-Poste de Liège (formerly Hôtel des Postes) was built on Rue de la Régence between 1896 and 1901, according to plans by architect Edmond Jamar to house the city's postal services.The building has not been in use since 2002 and subsequently underwent several renovation projects before being taken over by the investment fund NOSHAQ and the real estate developer BPI at the end of 2016.The Grand-Poste has been renovated and opened in September 2021. It is a third location with a catering facility, the buildings and studios of the Media, Culture and Communication department of the University of Liège and a community of companies active in the digital, media and entertainment industries.Four and a half years of renovation, 40 million euros worth of work... The Grand Poste has breathed new life since the end of the summer. It includes 8,000 m2 of coworking space, event locations and creative food initiatives, bringing together the following five uses: a coworking space, a food market, a craft brewery, a location for start-up mentoring programs and the journalism department of the University of Liège.
Rampe de la Passerelle Saucy
The ramp/landing of the Saucy pedestrian/ cyclists bridge'The footbridge is something for the residents of Outremeuse, the bridge that you cross without a hat for a short crossing. (Georges Simenon)The Regency Bridge, also called the Saucy Bridge, is an important connection between Outremeuse and the center. It is the natural route to 'the city' for the residents of the island and the preferred route to the Outremeuse district for residents of the center or visitors to the city.The first footbridge was opened in 1880 after many technical problems, such as repeated flooding, deformation of the longitudinal beams, consolidation and replacement of the handrail with a lighter handrail. It is a construction with a grid structure consisting of two spans, each 52 meters long and 5.80 meters wide. The apron is protected by metal railings. The bridge was accessible on either side of the Maas via two parallel stone steps along the river.After an international ideas competition in 1996: 'How can you best design the access to the right bank of the Meuse at the foot of the Passerelle?' The city selects the project by Liège architects Etienne Maudoux and Etienne Wathieu and engineer Yves Weinand.They devide the metal structure in two parts: 'A hanging and cantilevered promenade' consisting of an African wooden railing with a stainless steel lattice railing that draws a wide zigzag and lands gently on the Van Beneden quay. Parallel to the Meuse, a series of bluestone steps leading to the Quai de Gaulle. The project is completed with a 20 meter high mast, which is illuminated by a beam of light at night and is equipped with stays similar to the mast of a sailing boat.
Maison Charles Magnette - architect Paul Jaspar
Maison Charles Magnette is one of the first realizations of architect Paul Jaspar, one of the masters of Art Nouveau on the banks of the Maas. It was built in 1897 for lawyer and politician Charles Magnette, who would later become a senator and minister.The design of the facade contains references to traditional Liège architecture: bluestone bands, red bricks and a bay window... The geometric stained glass windows gives the building a historic cachet. Charles Magnette played a prominent role in Belgian Freemasonry.This appartenance is illustrated by the frescoes at the top of the facade, which are treated in the manner of the Egyptian hieroglyphics. They were made using the Sraffito technique and illustrate in four panels the different steps in a civilized process: arrest, defense, conviction and justice.
Maison Henri Alexandre - architect Joseph Barsin
The Henri Alexandre House is an Art Nouveau style building built in 1907 by architect Joseph Barsin. Art Nouveau elements can be seen in several other buildings on this street, such as Victor Rogister's Maison Defeld at No. 19 and at No. 4, 14, 15, 16 and 17. On the nearby Boulevard de l'Est is the Maison Meyers and on Rue Saint-Éloi is the Maison Corombelle.This building is representative of the floral trend of the Art Nouveau trend initiated in Brussels in 1893 by Victor Horta and is characterized by the famous 'flowing line', while most Art Nouveau style houses in Liège are rather related to the geometric Art Nouveau trend that Paul Hankar and Paul Jaspar applied.The asymmetrical facade has two spans and four layers (three floors). The left span with the front door is the narrowest. The right span is slightly higher than the first floor to the top. Two materials are used: white glazed brick (Silesian brick) and blue stone for the sills, moldings and horizontal bands.
Maison Defeld - Architect: Victor Rogister
Maison Defeld 1907 - Architect: Victor RogisterA very rationally designed house, where the facade of this house for hairdresser Defeld avoids monotony through the diversity per floor. The slenderness of the windows and bay windows emphasizes the vertical appearance, which is offset by horizontal bluestone decorations. The facade view is completed by the surfaces with spheres under the cornice and the sculpted heads on the ground floor.The bay windows are crowned with semicircular bays whose small beams form a horseshoe arch reminiscent of Paul Hankar's Hotel Ciamberlani in Brussels (1897).
Simenon Youth Hostel - architect groupe ARTerre
Georges Simenon has been an integral part of the Liège landscape for more than ten years. The landscape is in the broadest sense of the word, as it is both an architectural and a cultural reference. It has been included in various publications on contemporary architecture (e.g. the 'Simenon Tower' a little further on) and heritage and in urban development exhibitions. It has also become a hotspot for association life in Liège and social tourism.After an ideas competition for the youth hostel, groupe ARTerre was appointed as architects to design the location and many partners were involved throughout the procedure. The urban design is the result of a thorough study of the district and the island: the new volumes, shapes and materials are in dialogue with the surrounding buildings. An alley connects the courtyard and the street, especially for the revelers of August 15 (Sainte Marie).When designing the plans for the hostel, architectural firm ARTerre, in collaboration with visual artist Daniel Dutrieux, the city of Liège made a number of adjustments to the entire intersection around the building on the site. These proposals were subsequently used in the ERDF project 'Liège finds its river again'. These adjustments are reflected in the relationship between, for example, the courtyard and the forecourt, the mural at the top of the adjacent building and the themes of Georges Simenon's journey, embodied in the chained stone mass surrounded by stone benches engraved with the texts of the author. Art, architecture and urban planning integrated into many functions.
Maison Counet & House of the Aztecs - architect Victor Rogister
Maison Counet & House of the AztecsMaison Counet is one of the masterpieces of the Liège architect Victor Rogister. It is one of his most beautiful Art Nouveau projects in Liège, just like Maison Piot, Maison Pieper and Maison Lapaille.In this street in the Parliament near Maison Counet at No. 2 and 6/8 ( Maison aux Aztèques) two other Art Nouveau constructions by the same Victor Rogister can be seen.Like the Maison Lapaille built shortly afterwards, Maison Counet was created in an Art Nouveau style close to the Wiener Session. The first impression of this building is the whiteness of the facade. However, the lower three quarters of the ground floor is made of a harmonious mix of sandstone and bluestone.A stylistic unity dominates over the entire facade: a unity in the form of alternating window openings in the upper part, a unity in the horizontal alignment of small blue ceramic squares on the ground floor, under the windows on the first level and the between the windows on the second floor.The turret emphasizes the originality of this house and is unique among the Art Nouveau buildings in Liège. The base is a ashlar slab supported by a ashlar console with light emerging from the corner of the building to climb both levels to the roof. It has eight identical window openings. The corner tower is the crown on this work by Victor Rogister.Around the front door and on the corner of the house are three stone sculptures that give the building a mysterious appearance. These sculptures show three female heads with gagged mouths and closed eyes.Did Freemasonry, which Victor Rogister knew well, inspire him by advocating the rules for discretion outside the lodge, or should we look in Japan for the symbolism of the three wisdom monkeys with the motto: hear, see and be silent?The home of the AztecsThe House of the Aztecs is an Art Nouveau building built in 1906 also by architect Victor Rogister. There is also another Art Nouveau building at no. 2 Rue du Parliament, designed by the same Victor Rogister.The imposing building has two floors and four window axes. The three right axes are symmetrical, with the exception of the ground floor. The left span is shifted and different. The ground floor, which was once a pastry shop, has been converted into an architectural office and there are several apartments on both floors.Of the three symmetrical window axes, the middle one is remarkable. On the top floor there is a frame with a circle in a round arch. The frame has a balcony that is equipped with harmonious ironwork that combines straight lines, curves and ellipses. Two rectangular pilasters sculpted with circles protrude above this frame. In between in a plane with Sgraffito two female heads in profile.Below the balcony on the first floor are two stone consoles with sculptures of the Aztec heads, which gave the building their name.
A Cup of Coffee for the Tourguide
Offer your Tourguide a cup of coffee through this donation link: For information about a personal Tour: architouralgarve@gmail.com
