Bie Plevoets
Universiteit Hasselt, Arts and Architecture, Department Member
- Retail Design, Cultural Heritage, Adaptive Reuse, Interior Design (Architecture), Interior Architecture, Adaptive reuse, Interior Architecture, Sustainability, and 20 moreInterior Design, Interiors, Journal of Interior Design, Arts and Architecture, Architectural History, Heritage Conservation, Architectural Theory, Design Theory, Cultural Heritage Management, Retail Management, Retail, Cultural Heritage and Preservation, Selexyz Dominicanen, H&M Barcelona, Retail Marketing, Reuse of Religious Heritage, Architecture, Space and Place, ADAPTIVE RE USE, and Cultural Heritage Conservationedit
- Bie Plevoets studied Interior Architecture at the PHL University College (Belgium) and followed a postgraduate master... moreBie Plevoets studied Interior Architecture at the PHL University College (Belgium) and followed a postgraduate master in Conservation of Monuments and Sites at the Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation (KU Leuven). In 2014 she obtained a Ph.D. in Architecture at Hasselt University in which she explored the position of adaptive reuse within the discipline of interior architecture, with specific focus on projects with retail as a new function. Currently she continues her research on the emerging theory of interior architecture and adaptive reuse at Hasselt University. Besides research, she teaches several courses on adaptive reuse in the bachelor and master Interior Architecture.edit
- Koenraad Van Cleempoeledit
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Over the past few decades, the adaptive reuse of buildings—transforming them to meet new functional and aesthetic needs and requirements—has become a highly specialized domain within architectural and conservation practice, and is... more
Over the past few decades, the adaptive reuse of buildings—transforming them to meet new functional and aesthetic needs and requirements—has become a highly specialized domain within architectural and conservation practice, and is becoming a field of scholarly study in its own right. However, in juxtaposition with this highly specialized practice, people reuse and adapt all sorts of buildings in spontaneous and informal ways in a process we call " vernacular adaptation. " This paper investigates such vernacular adaptation of built heritage, along with its specific characteristics, opportunities, and threats as well as its influence on more formal adaptive reuse practice. As methodology, we examine relevant literature to review historical and contemporary examples of vernacular adaptation and reuse. In conclusion, we present the vernacular approach as a valuable alternative to the " formal " or specialized, top-down method to managing existing built environment, especially for buildings and sites that possess compelling social value. Moreover, our study indicates that in practice, the division between the vernacular and the formal is not rigid, elaborating on the possibilities and risks of joined initiatives between local communities and private or public developers.
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This paper describes an approach for the adaptive reuse of historic buildings that has not thus far received much attention. We have named this the “interior approach,” and it seems to be more “poetic,” drawing on the memory of the... more
This paper describes an approach for the adaptive reuse of historic buildings that has not thus far received much attention. We have named this the “interior approach,” and it seems to be more “poetic,” drawing on the memory of the building, often represented in and through its interior features. The interior approach is not strictly restorative (although it sometimes includes restoration of certain fragments); neither is it an intervention in the modern sense of the word, showing a clear contrast between old and new. Instead, it promotes copying as a valuable methodology for intervention. In order to describe, clarify, and understand the interior approach towards adaptive reuse we have compared contemporary practice with the Renaissance concepts of translatio, imitatio, and aemulatio. By doing so we point to the different notions, nuances, and intentions that a copy might hold, in order to present copying as a valid strategy for adaptive reuse that holds it own next to other existing strategies.
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Retail interiors are often refurbished far more regularly than other types of interiors. As such, retail design seems to further the discipline of interior design by creating innovative design solutions. However, with regard to following... more
Retail interiors are often refurbished far more regularly than other types of interiors. As such, retail design seems to further the discipline of interior design by creating innovative design solutions. However, with regard to following sustainable design and construction practices, retail may fall short compared with sectors such as public buildings or offices. The first section of this paper focuses on the definition of sustainable design and the tension between retail (design) and sustainability by examining some pertinent writings. Retail branding is proposed as a way to improve sustainability in retail design. The second section discusses the reuse of historic buildings as a means for retail branding and sustainable retail design. The architectural strategies for reuse defined by Graeme Brooker and Sally Stone - intervention, insertion, and installation - are illustrated with specific examples of retail environments, but equally this paper suggests that a fourth category may be added: confirmation.
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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the conservation and contemporary management of three nineteenth-century shopping passages: the Galleries Saint-Hubert in Brussels, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan and the... more
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the conservation and contemporary management of three nineteenth-century shopping passages: the Galleries Saint-Hubert in Brussels, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan and the Passage in The Hague. The submission of the Galleries Saint-Hubert to the World Heritage Tentative List in 2008, presents a unique opportunity for studying this typology in its contemporary environment.
Design/methodology/approach – The authors’ research questions are: what are the characteristics of passages? what are their authentic values? and how can the authenticity of these buildings be conserved by their contemporary management? The applied methodology is a cross-case-comparison, based on the definition of authenticity as presented in the Nara Document on Authenticity. The analysis is presented in the form of a matrix.
Findings – The findings show that the significant value of passages does not only include the architecture of the building but also the versatility of its program and its present urban role. It is only by conserving this combination that these buildings can be conserved in their full richness of authenticity.
Practical implications – Criteria for transnational inclusion in the World Heritage List of several nineteenth-century passages are suggested as the matrix used for cross-case-comparison may be applied to analyse other case studies of passages, as well as for other types of heritage where authenticity of the site is threatened by uncontrolled retail development.
Originality/value – Although passages have been studied extensively within the field of architectural history, retail history and socio-cultural studies, hardly any previous research had focused on the preservation and contemporary management of this building type.
Design/methodology/approach – The authors’ research questions are: what are the characteristics of passages? what are their authentic values? and how can the authenticity of these buildings be conserved by their contemporary management? The applied methodology is a cross-case-comparison, based on the definition of authenticity as presented in the Nara Document on Authenticity. The analysis is presented in the form of a matrix.
Findings – The findings show that the significant value of passages does not only include the architecture of the building but also the versatility of its program and its present urban role. It is only by conserving this combination that these buildings can be conserved in their full richness of authenticity.
Practical implications – Criteria for transnational inclusion in the World Heritage List of several nineteenth-century passages are suggested as the matrix used for cross-case-comparison may be applied to analyse other case studies of passages, as well as for other types of heritage where authenticity of the site is threatened by uncontrolled retail development.
Originality/value – Although passages have been studied extensively within the field of architectural history, retail history and socio-cultural studies, hardly any previous research had focused on the preservation and contemporary management of this building type.
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Research Interests: Cultural Heritage Conservation, Urban Regeneration, Heritage Conservation, Adaptive Reuse, Church History, and 8 moreCultural Heritage Management, Church architecture, Adaptive reuse, Interior Architecture, Sustainability, Neogothic Architecture, Adaptive Reused Historical Building for New Purposed, Religious Heritage, Reuse of Religious Heritage, and Conversion of Church Buildings
Plevoets, B., & Verheyden, P. (2017). Bijzondere band tussen zusters augustinessen en het patrimonium in de stad Sint-Truiden. Een verhaal van duurzame herbestemming. In P. Dewaele, W. Driesen, & T. Heeren (Eds.), Uit liefde voor God en... more
Plevoets, B., & Verheyden, P. (2017). Bijzondere band tussen zusters augustinessen en het patrimonium in de stad Sint-Truiden. Een verhaal van duurzame herbestemming. In P. Dewaele, W. Driesen, & T. Heeren (Eds.), Uit liefde voor God en de mensen. 175 jaar zusters augustinessen in Sint-Truiden (pp. 81-94). Sint-Truiden: Zusters Augustinessen vzw.
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Plevoets, B., & Van Cleempoel, K. (2016). Heritage, Adaptive Reuse and Regeneration in Retail Design. In A. Petermans & A. Kent (Eds.), Retail-Design: Theoretical Perspectives (pp. 114-134). Oxon & New York: Routledge.
Research Interests: Cultural Heritage, Interior Design, Urban Regeneration, Heritage Conservation, Adaptive Reuse, and 10 moreRetail, Retail Design, Sustainable Urban Regeneration and Development, Interior Architecture, Retailing, Building adaptation, Built Heritage, Cultural Heritage, Urban Art, Urban Design, Urban Regeneration Through Art, Urban Light, Urban Development, Rehabilitation, Reuse of Industrial Buildings., Retail Architecture, Architectural Heritage Conservation, and Architectural Transformation
Research Interests: Cultural Heritage Conservation, Heritage Conservation, Interior Design (Architecture), Adaptive Reuse, Architectural Theory, and 6 moreHistory of architecture, Interior Architecture, Cultural Heritage and Preservation, History and Theory of Interior Architecture, Reuse of Old Buildings, and Adaptive Reused Historical Building for New Purposed
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Whereas the façade and structure of buildings might stand the test of time, the interior is much more sensitive and has often been altered to changed needs and desires. The introduction of a new, minimalistic interior, marked by a simple... more
Whereas the façade and structure of buildings might stand the test of time, the interior is much more sensitive and has often been altered to changed needs and desires. The introduction of a new, minimalistic interior, marked by a simple contrast between the new and the existing, is often the easiest solution but might affect the experience of the building’s ‘spirit of the place’. Some designers prefer to deal with the remnants of the interior in a more sensitive and delicate. Through a process of intelligent copying and interpreting, the particular tangible and intangible qualities of the modern interior (lay-out, materials, circulation, decoration, relationships between space, lighting, incidence of natural light, etc.) are incorporated in the new interior design.
But such an approach requires specific skills from the designer. Beside basic historical and technical knowledge on the building to alter, the designer needs a certain degree of empathy with the building: experiencing the interior, connecting with the user and to put oneself in the place of the original designer - not in order to create a reconstruction, but to reveal and understand its characteristics and qualities.
This essay elaborates on the problem of adapting modern buildings with interiors at risk because it is only partially preserved, forgotten, hidden under or behind later additions, not documented, or not protected. We reflect on different methodologies that can be used by designers to develop an understanding of the host building and its interior, such as: scientific documentation made by a third party, photography, sketching or models. For many buildings that lack of available knowledge and material evidence, it is necessary to combine different methods.
We illustrate our argument with student work on adaptive reuse of Modern Movement buildings. A sensitive adaptation of the original interior, requires a particular skill based on an empathic approach from the designer. Offering tools to develop a deep understanding of the host space and its interior is also necessary in the curriculum of interior architecture.
But such an approach requires specific skills from the designer. Beside basic historical and technical knowledge on the building to alter, the designer needs a certain degree of empathy with the building: experiencing the interior, connecting with the user and to put oneself in the place of the original designer - not in order to create a reconstruction, but to reveal and understand its characteristics and qualities.
This essay elaborates on the problem of adapting modern buildings with interiors at risk because it is only partially preserved, forgotten, hidden under or behind later additions, not documented, or not protected. We reflect on different methodologies that can be used by designers to develop an understanding of the host building and its interior, such as: scientific documentation made by a third party, photography, sketching or models. For many buildings that lack of available knowledge and material evidence, it is necessary to combine different methods.
We illustrate our argument with student work on adaptive reuse of Modern Movement buildings. A sensitive adaptation of the original interior, requires a particular skill based on an empathic approach from the designer. Offering tools to develop a deep understanding of the host space and its interior is also necessary in the curriculum of interior architecture.
Research Interests: Cultural Heritage, Interior Design, Heritage Conservation, Modernist Architecture (Architectural Modernism), Interior Design (Architecture), and 7 moreAdaptive Reuse, Modernism, Interior Architecture, Architectural Preservation & Restoration, Interiors, Conservation and Restoration of Historic Buildings and Monuments, and Historic Interiors
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As a method for differentiation, some retailers look for historic buildings to locate their store. This research tries to formulate an answer to the question how to strike a balance between respectful restoration and commercial... more
As a method for differentiation, some retailers look for historic buildings to locate their store. This research tries to formulate an answer to the question how to strike a balance between respectful restoration and commercial exploitation of a heritage building.
The first section of our paper describes the tension between retail and heritage in historic city centres by using a SWOT-analysis, and argues how the role of retail branding can bridge these positions in creating a retail design that respects the historic and architectural qualities of the host space. The second section analyses two Belgian case studies of retailers who intentionally looked for a historic setting for their stores through interviews with architects and retailers who were involved in the project. The conclusion states that retail branding may contribute towards a balance between interests of retailers and conservators.
The first section of our paper describes the tension between retail and heritage in historic city centres by using a SWOT-analysis, and argues how the role of retail branding can bridge these positions in creating a retail design that respects the historic and architectural qualities of the host space. The second section analyses two Belgian case studies of retailers who intentionally looked for a historic setting for their stores through interviews with architects and retailers who were involved in the project. The conclusion states that retail branding may contribute towards a balance between interests of retailers and conservators.
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"Working with existing buildings, repairing and restoring them for continued use has become a creative and fascinating challenge within the architectural discipline. The process of wholeheartedly altering a building is often called... more
"Working with existing buildings, repairing and restoring them for continued use has become a creative and fascinating challenge within the architectural discipline. The process of wholeheartedly altering a building is often called ‘adaptive reuse’. In contemporary conservation theory and practice, adaptive reuse is considered an important strategy towards conservation of cultural heritage. An extensive review of scholarly literature on adaptive reuse from 1970’s onwards, shows that its body of theory is largely based on case study research and not, as one would expect, on architectural theory and/or conservation history.
This contribution, therefore aims to presents a critical analysis of 19th and 20th century theories on adaptive reuse. The theoretical discussion on adaptive reuse as a way to preserve historic monuments started in the 19th century when Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (1814-1879) argued that ‘le meilleur moyen pour conserver une édifice, c'est de lui trouver une destination, et de satisfaire si bien à tous les besoins que commande cette destination, qu'il n'y ait pas lieu d'y faire des changements’ (Viollet-le-Duc, 1967 [1854]). His opponents John Ruskin (1819-1900) and William Morris (1834-1896), however, found it impossible to reintegrate in a monument any function beside the original one as it would destroy the authenticity of the building. We also describe – for the first time from the reuse-perspective – how these opposing theories were approached by Alois Riegl (1858-1905)’s concept of use- value and Camillo Boito (1836-1914)’s discourse on the formal architectural relationship between old and new.
Finally, we discuss how during the second half of the 20th century, adaptive reuse is emancipating to become a proper discipline within the broader field of architectural conservation."
This contribution, therefore aims to presents a critical analysis of 19th and 20th century theories on adaptive reuse. The theoretical discussion on adaptive reuse as a way to preserve historic monuments started in the 19th century when Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (1814-1879) argued that ‘le meilleur moyen pour conserver une édifice, c'est de lui trouver une destination, et de satisfaire si bien à tous les besoins que commande cette destination, qu'il n'y ait pas lieu d'y faire des changements’ (Viollet-le-Duc, 1967 [1854]). His opponents John Ruskin (1819-1900) and William Morris (1834-1896), however, found it impossible to reintegrate in a monument any function beside the original one as it would destroy the authenticity of the building. We also describe – for the first time from the reuse-perspective – how these opposing theories were approached by Alois Riegl (1858-1905)’s concept of use- value and Camillo Boito (1836-1914)’s discourse on the formal architectural relationship between old and new.
Finally, we discuss how during the second half of the 20th century, adaptive reuse is emancipating to become a proper discipline within the broader field of architectural conservation."
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The past 1.400 years religious Christian churches and monasteries marked the landscape and social life of Europe. Yet the on-going process of secularisation affects our religious heritage: it becomes underused or even abandoned. Our... more
The past 1.400 years religious Christian churches and monasteries marked the landscape and social life of Europe. Yet the on-going process of secularisation affects our religious heritage: it becomes underused or even abandoned. Our research focuses on the potential role of the architectural discipline in the discourse of reusing monasteries; research by design is implemented as an exploration tool, starting from a large survey of sub-typologies of Christian monasteries in Western Europe.
This paper presents the first phase of our project: a survey of Christian monasteries in a specific study area (the Belgian province Limburg), and their analysis and classification into sub-typologies. Important sources are historical and architectural literature, but also local archives, databases, site visits, and newspapers. The inventoried sub-typologies are translated through sketches and schemes into models, which facilitate analysis of and communication about the existing monastic buildings. Practising adaptive reuse, the choice of an appropriate new program to a structure is vitally important to reinforce the original building character. The paper concludes by indicating the most suitable models to be implemented by social important (ambivalent) care programs through research by design, in hybrid combinations with other functions.
This paper presents the first phase of our project: a survey of Christian monasteries in a specific study area (the Belgian province Limburg), and their analysis and classification into sub-typologies. Important sources are historical and architectural literature, but also local archives, databases, site visits, and newspapers. The inventoried sub-typologies are translated through sketches and schemes into models, which facilitate analysis of and communication about the existing monastic buildings. Practising adaptive reuse, the choice of an appropriate new program to a structure is vitally important to reinforce the original building character. The paper concludes by indicating the most suitable models to be implemented by social important (ambivalent) care programs through research by design, in hybrid combinations with other functions.
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Research Interests: Cultural Heritage Conservation, Interior Design, Heritage Conservation, Theory and Philosophy (Interior Design ), Adaptive Reuse, and 7 moreRetail Design, Cultural Heritage Management, Interior Architecture, Building adaptation, Adaptive reuse, Interior Architecture, Sustainability, Retail Store Interior Design, and History and Theory of Interior Architecture
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Do you already have a bachelor degree in Architecture or Interior Architecture but are you interested in a master degree on Adaptive Reuse? Are you not sure about what to expect in the master of Interior Architecture at Hasselt... more
Do you already have a bachelor degree in Architecture or Interior Architecture but are you interested in a master degree on Adaptive Reuse? Are you not sure about what to expect in the master of Interior Architecture at Hasselt University? Look at our Live Webinar:
https://www.uhasselt.be/Master-of-interior-architecture-adaptive-reuse
https://www.uhasselt.be/Master-of-interior-architecture-adaptive-reuse
Research Interests: Architecture, Cultural Heritage, Conservation, Regeneration, Interior Design, and 9 moreSustainable Building Design, Heritage Conservation, Adaptive Reuse, Interior Architecture, Building adaptation, Interiors, Architecture and Public Spaces, Adaptive Reused Historical Building for New Purposed, and Sustainability
The Faculty of Architecture and Arts welcomes applications for an innovative international master's programme in interior architecture with a strong focus on adaptive reuse. It is safe to assume that (interior) architects will have to... more
The Faculty of Architecture and Arts welcomes applications for an innovative international master's programme in interior architecture with a strong focus on adaptive reuse. It is safe to assume that (interior) architects will have to deal increasingly with the transformation and adaptation of the built environment. Today, the role of architecture is being redefined due to demographic, economic and ecological challenges. Transition and reuse take centre stage in the practice and theory of the profession. This academic master's programme is innovative as it considers preservation through the act of adaptive reuse instead of mere conservation and restoration. Rather than relying on an archaeological perspective, it emphasises a desig-nerly approach to give new and unexpected energy to buildings. Therefore, the programme seeks to train students who explore and activate the rich potential of existing sites through design supported by research and theory.
Research Interests: Architecture, Conservation, Cultural Heritage Conservation, Interior Design, Adaptation, and 11 moreHeritage Conservation, Interior Design (Architecture), Adaptive Reuse, Architectural Theory, Sustainable Architecture, Interior Architecture, Urban Design, Building adaptation, Interior, Conservation and Restoration of Historic Buildings and Monuments, and Redesign
Sint-Truiden has 26 parish churches, which is a large number for a town with nearly 40 000 inhabitants. The church plan for the city was drawn up in 2014 and indicated of these 26 churches, 11 as essential for religious practice; the... more
Sint-Truiden has 26 parish churches, which is a large number for a town with nearly 40 000 inhabitants. The church plan for the city was drawn up in 2014 and indicated of these 26 churches, 11 as essential for religious practice; the other 15 churches are indicated as not-essential for religious practice and may be considered for reuse. The city commissions Arck to make a first screening of the potential for reuse or secondary use for each of these 15 churches. Based on that screening, one or two churches can later on be selected for a concrete adaptive reuse project. Moreover, the study results may inspire other parties such as the local church fabrics to worked out a project of secondary use for their parish church, or even a temporary reuse.
The goal of this project is threefold:
1. To understand the specific problems and sensitivities of the churches in Sint-Truiden, indicated as non-essential for religious practice
2. To gain insight in the context, characteristics, values and dynamics of each of these churches
3. To define reasonable programmes that can be added to or can replace the current use of the building
A first important task of the research team was to map the concerns, interests and ideas of the different stakeholders. This was done trough interviews with local politicians, church council, episcopacy, church fabrics, and other important local stakeholders. Beside that, each church was visited and studies. A index cart was made for each of these churches containing information on the history of the church, its surrounding, current condition, and possible scenario’s for a new or secondary use.
The goal of this project is threefold:
1. To understand the specific problems and sensitivities of the churches in Sint-Truiden, indicated as non-essential for religious practice
2. To gain insight in the context, characteristics, values and dynamics of each of these churches
3. To define reasonable programmes that can be added to or can replace the current use of the building
A first important task of the research team was to map the concerns, interests and ideas of the different stakeholders. This was done trough interviews with local politicians, church council, episcopacy, church fabrics, and other important local stakeholders. Beside that, each church was visited and studies. A index cart was made for each of these churches containing information on the history of the church, its surrounding, current condition, and possible scenario’s for a new or secondary use.
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The faculty of Architecture and Arts welcomes applications for an innovative international master's programme in interior architecture with a strong focus on adaptive reuse.... more
The faculty of Architecture and Arts welcomes applications for an innovative international master's programme in interior architecture with a strong focus on adaptive reuse.
http://www.uhasselt.be/Master-of-interior-architecture-adaptive-reuse
http://www.uhasselt.be/Master-of-interior-architecture-adaptive-reuse
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Fiorani, D., Kealy, L., Musso, S., Houbart, C., Plevoets, B. (managing ed.), & Van Cleempoel, K. (Eds.). (2017). Conservation/Adaptation. Keeping Alive the Spirit of the Place. Adaptive Reuse of Heritage with Symbolic Value. Proceedings... more
Fiorani, D., Kealy, L., Musso, S., Houbart, C., Plevoets, B. (managing ed.), & Van Cleempoel, K. (Eds.). (2017). Conservation/Adaptation. Keeping Alive the Spirit of the Place. Adaptive Reuse of Heritage with Symbolic Value. Proceedings of the 5th EAAE Conservation Network Workshop. Hasselt: EAAE.