Abby Kortrijk

The project for Abby Kortrijk transforms the historic Groeninge Abbey into a new kind of museum—open, versatile, and rooted in the city. The design balances restoration and transformation, revealing the abbey’s original spatial qualities, restoring the courtyard, and adding a underground exhibition space. A new park pavilion, which hosts the café and multipurpose space, features dark brick façades and a form that echoes the historic roofs, entering into dialogue with the existing architecture and continuing the site’s evolving identity.

The project engages with a historic complex dating back to the 16th century. Over time, various interventions had compromised its original spatial qualities and weakened its connection to the surrounding fabric. The proposal removes incongruous exterior additions and introduces a new pavilion, placed orthogonally to the existing buildings and opening toward Begijnhof Park. This redefines the courtyard and creates a passage from Groeningestraat to the public garden, enhancing circulation around the abbey. To maintain the open space around the abbey, the extension of the exhibition areas occupies new underground galleries that offer flexible, museum-quality rooms. The existing interiors, heavily altered over time, are carefully restored to their original spatial clarity within the available budget. The former chapel regains its height, becoming an exhibition space. Minimal restoration was carried out in the dormitory building, preserving original windows, ceilings, and terracotta floors.

Abby Kortrijk has been realized taking into account recycled materials and a sustainable, local process. The pavilion’s façade features custom bricks made from 60% recycled construction waste and 40% clay, creating an expressive structure that reinforces its presence in the urban fabric. Fired at lower temperatures, 92 tons of ceramic waste were upcycled, reducing energy use while ensuring performance. Bricks were then cut to exact shapes for a smooth surface, giving the pavilion a unique character able to dialogue with the historic complex. Inside, a new cement tile was designed to extend the existing terracotta floor present in the dormitory building. Regarding the pre-existing elements, original facades and floors were restored, using recycled bricks where needed. The existing structure, result from various interventions over the years, has been maintained and carefully modified to guarantee a project within budget while revealing the beautiful spatiality of the historic complex.