Center for Adult Education Ligo

In 2023, Ligo ZOVL, a center for basic adult education, acquired the two lower floors of the Manchester Building in Aalst. This shell of the former Filature du Canal, part of the post site within the station district masterplan, was transformed into an open learning environment for adult education. A central void and two meandering staircases connect the two levels and reveal the industrial steel structure, which, together with robust brick and wood, forms the spatial heart: an agora as a shared breathing space and social hub. Classrooms anchor themselves to the façade, using translucent, demountable partitions that bring daylight deep into the plan while ensuring flexibility. The interior balances robustness and lightness, discreetly integrating circular principles such as reuse and reversibility. A street-facing coffee bar acts as a low-threshold interface between the city and the learning environment. The former spinning mill is thus transformed into an architectural framework for emancipation, where connection — between people, functions, and history — becomes the driving force of the design.