Musical variations: a fine 1930s broadcasting building has been rescued from decay and transformed into an urban music centre.

The headquarters of the Belgian National Institute for Radio Broadcasting in Flagey Square, Brussels was the subject of a 1933 competition set up to bring together all the functions of the state broadcasting system. It was won by Joseph Diongre with a stylish, austere functionalist building finished in 1938. Less than four decades later, in 1974, the building was completely out of date, because television demanded much more studio space than radio, and broadcasting had to move to new premises in the suburbs, leaving the usine a sons without a proper function.

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The broadcasters finally shut the building down in 1995. Decay set in, until the building was listed by UNESCO as a world heritage building at risk in 1998. A group--financed from both public and private sectors--the Maison de la Radio Flagey, got hold of the place with the aim of turning it into a music centre. A consortium of Samyn & Partners and Storme van Ranst--Wachtelaer was asked to convert it.

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They were concerned to preserve the still fresh and optimistic qualities of the Diongre building, while making it accessible to a larger and wider audience than the state broadcasting organization had ever imagined. New lifts, fire escapes and disabled access were required. Recording studios had to be transformed into concert halls, large and small. Shops and a big cafe were created on the ground floor, making the place part of local urban conversations.

The main studio has been rejigged to increase its potential audience from some 400 seats to 900. Three new balconies have been added at the end opposite the orchestra, and so have two along the sides. The new work is suspended from beams in the roof space by 600mm steel rods, and the whole operation respects the excellent reversibility principle, under which whatever changes we may make in our own time can be changed back by our successors to the original state inherited from our ancestors. All Diongre's wood panelling has been preserved.

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Acoustics of the main hall are alterable from an environment suitable for a full symphony orchestra to one in which a chamber group will feel at home by mechanically altering the sound absorption of the space. Other activities are made possible, for instance films and conferences. Surrounded by its new fringe of locally friendly activities, the Maison de la Radio Flagey looks as if it will be a real and lively part of the city. E.M.

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MUSIC CENTRE, BRUSSELS, BELGIUM

ARCHITECT

SAMYN & PARTNERS--VAN RANST--WACHTELAER

Architect

A.M.A. Samyn--Van Ranst--Wachtelaer

Project team

Samyn & Partners, Brussels: Ph. Samyn, M. Vandeput, D. Melotte, B. Calcagno, B. Counson, I. Delattre, J. Duplat, L. Finet, Ph. Gaube, P. Hendrix, V. Ilardo, A. Khoei, J. Quirynen, M. Ruelle, C. Stalmans, Q. Steyaert, G. vander Vaeren, L. Van de Velde, M. van Raemdonck Architektenburo Storme Van Ranst, Antwerp: J. Van Ranst, Ph. Van Goethem, R. Chevalier, R. Verspreeuwen, T. Bracke, K. Voet, I. Lemmens, G. Aertssen, T. Baetens, S. Mesdagh, S. Bil, M. Montanari

Acoustic consultant

Artec Consultants Inc

Photographs

Ch Bastin, J. Evrard