Tower & trajectory: a student residence Brussels
Selena Doncev
KASK School of Arts Ghent
For my Bachelor's thesis, I chose The Priory of the Rouge-Cloître of 60 meter long in Brussels, a place where the past and the future come together. Located between the tranquillity of the Forest and the dynamism of the city, the historic site provides a distinctive context for a new purpose. The growing shortage of student housing in Brussels led to the idea of transforming the Priory into a student residence. Not merely as a place to live, but as a second home where students can meer, learn, relax and develop themselves. At the northern side of the building once stood the church tower, which was lost in a fire. My aim was to bring the tower back to life through a contemporary interpretation, while creating an architectural promenade that gradually guides the visitor towards the crown of the tower. The design seeks a new balance between heritage and contemporary use. By preserving the existing qualities of the Priory while integrating new functions, the building is given a second life. In this way, it becomes a place where the past takes on new meaning within contemporary student life in Brussels.