| Hasselt City Hall | |
|---|---|
 Hasselt City Hall | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Status | Active |
| Type | Municipal office |
| Architectural style | Modern with neoclassical elements |
| Location | Hasselt, Belgium |
| Coordinates | 50°55′39.93″N 5°20′17.29″E / 50.9277583°N 5.3381361°E |
| Construction started | 2013 |
| Completed | 2018 |
| Opened | 2018 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Jaspers-Eyers Architects, SAQ Architects, MASS Architects, Michel Janssen |
| Website | |
| Website of the City Hall | |
The Hasselt City Hall, also known as the City Office, is a city hall in the Hasselt, Belgium. The city hall was inaugurated in 2018, replacing the Old City Hall of Hasselt. The municipal and OCMW services of Hasselt are housed within the city hall.
The building is located at Limburgplein and consists of two parts:
- The Ship (’t Scheep)
- National Guard Barracks (Kezerreme)
The entire site of the new Hasselt city hall is named Obbe Beek (On the Creek), referencing the name of the neighborhood along the Helbeek from which Hasselt is said to have originated.
History
editBecause the Old City Hall at Groenplein had become too small to accommodate all municipal services, which were spread across six locations in the city, a decision was made in 2013 to undertake new construction. The chosen location was the intersection of Guffenslaan and Sint-Jozefsstraat, where Limburgplein was developed. The National Guard Barracks, situated at this intersection, was renovated and expanded with modern new construction. This new city office, named The Ship, opened in 2018.[1]
The old municipal and OCMW buildings at Groenplein, Dokter Willemsstraat, Thonissenlaan, and Ridder Portmansstraat are being repurposed for new socio-cultural and residential uses.
National Guard Barracks
editIn addition to the new construction, the new Hasselt city hall includes the Hasselt National Guard Barracks. In the Hasselt local dialect, this building is known as Kezerreme. The neoclassical National Guard Barracks is located on Guffenslaan (R70) and dates back to 1879.[2]
New Construction
editThe new construction of the Hasselt city hall comprises seven floors and features a distinctive ship-like shape, which inspired the nickname The Ship. The building was designed with a focus on sustainability and energy efficiency, incorporating elements such as solar panels and rainwater harvesting systems.
Usage and Visitors
editSince its opening in 2018, the city hall has become an important center for municipal and social services. It has also hosted various cultural events and exhibitions, making the building a vibrant part of the city.
Recognition
editThe design of the city hall has been praised by several architecture critics and was nominated for the Belgian Bouwprijs in 2019 for its innovative architecture and integration of historical and modern elements.
External links
edit- Presentation of the new city hall, YouTube
50°55′39.93″N 5°20′17.29″E / 50.9277583°N 5.3381361°E
- ^ "Nieuw Hasselts stadhuis officieel open". Het Belang van Limburg. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- ^ "National Guard Barracks (Guffenslaan 18)". hasel.be. Retrieved 11 December 2018.