Original featureWhite-brick extension defines Design Museum Gent revampDezeen · 1 October 2026 →

Architectural Context and Urban Integration

Located in the historic heart of Ghent, the museum expansion required a delicate balance between contemporary civic architecture and a dense urban fabric. The collaborative team of Carmody Groarke, Atama and Re-st approached the site by inserting a distinct geometric volume that relates in scale and presence to its historic surroundings without mimicking them.

The new wing acts as a spatial connector, bridging previously disparate parts of the museum complex and improving circulation for visitors navigating the galleries, educational rooms and event spaces.

Materiality and Sustainable Construction

A defining feature of the intervention is its exterior envelope, which is entirely wrapped in bespoke white bricks manufactured from waste materials. This choice grounds the modern structure in a textural dialogue with the masonry traditions of Flanders while drastically lowering the embodied carbon of the facade.

Beneath the masonry skin, the building relies on a primary timber frame. This renewable structural approach reduces the reliance on carbon-intensive concrete and steel, aligning with modern European standards for public and institutional buildings.

Functional Program and Spatial Experience

The timber-framed wing introduces flexible spaces designed to accommodate changing exhibition formats, educational workshops and civic events. Natural light is carefully managed throughout the interior, creating neutral yet atmospheric backdrops for displayed works of design and art.

For international buyers and observers of contemporary architecture, the project demonstrates how cultural institutions can successfully modernize their infrastructure through thoughtful material reuse and sustainable engineering.

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• White-brick extension defines Design Museum Gent revamp (Dezeen, 1 Oct 2026)

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