Community Center Edegem | Marc Koehler Architects

The new community center of Edegem (Belgium) is a multifunctional, flexible and open building which is entirely made of massive timber (CLT). It is harmoniously integrated with the existing monumental exhibition center Huis Hellemans and its garden. For the residents of Edegem it’s an open house that invites people to meet, work, enjoy, read and get inspired. The open spaces that are now used as a library can be programmed with flexibility over time consisting of old and new media. The building reinvents the small-town cultural center for the digital age as a curated Landscape of opportunities for inspiration and communication.

The center offers library spaces to consume printed and digital media, it has an info desk and flex office spaces for different community organizations. The book café where you can work on your lap-top completes the building with accommodates course-, workshop- and meeting rooms. It also responds to the needs of local leisure clubs and artists. They can organise exhibitions in these spaces. The center also features a large staircase that acts like a stage for teachers to give guided tours to kids learning to use the library. The use of the different open rooms is curated by the librarians. The building is more than a place for books. It’s a place to meet, learn, relax and be inspired.