architect: Binario architects
location: Villers-la-Ville
year: 2016
Restoration and Connection
The Abbaye de Villers (Villers Abbey), within an area of more than 36 hectares, is a destination site imbued with history and emotion.
The Villers-La-ville abbey site is crossed and split by the N275 national road so it looses logic and unity. Architecture, through a common intervention in landscape and scenography fields, try to reunite the full cistercian composition plan.
The project by Binario Architects aims to reconnect the road with the archeologic site, turning it into a cultural hub in Belgium and a centre of easy access for visitors.
The project therefore leads to a truly sequence from the parking to the ruins and prepares the visitors. The new path goes by the “Mill“ (reception hall, scenographic spaces, models room), reaches the hill across the new footbridge, continues through the garden, crosses the second bridge over the national road and finally goes down into the ruins.
The project highlights a common thread by means of sober materials (corten, wood, concrete) set up in various ways.
title Centre du Visiteur - A l'ancienne Abbaye de Villers-la-Ville
year 2016
location Rue de l'Abbaye 55 - 1495 Villers-la-Ville
architects Binario Architectes
client Institut du Patrimoine Wallon
landscape design Pigeon Ochej Paysage
scenography L'Escaut Architecture
engineers Besp, Jzh & Partners
photographer François Lichtlé
