What began as an industrial site grew into an international arts venue where rehearsals, dancing, and presentations take place. After a first expansion of the buildings (1995-2000) by Paul Van Aerschot, there was a need for more space again in 2018. Het Brusselse architectural firm Ouest, together with VERS.A, realized a well-thought-out conversion that respected the historical logic of the laundry: what is good was preserved. New dance studios were stacked to limit the footprint, the sunny south wing became a meeting place with a cafeteria and meeting rooms, and the serene front garden with the large red beech remains the access-defining protagonist. 164VANVOLXEM is an example of contemporary Brussels architecture in which 'living apart together' is the guiding principle: each organization with its own place, but with room to come together.
During this guided tour of the 164VANVOLXEM site, you get a unique look behind the scenes of one of the most innovative dance institutions in the world, housed in a building complex dating back to 1900. See how an industrial laundry grew into a creative campus, what the studios and performance spaces look like today, and who knows, you might feel the urge to dance.