THOR Park, Genk (B).
Former mine site becomes research landscape.
The master plan for Thor Science Park at the former Waterschei mine site is an exercise in capturing and letting go. Capture, given the size of the program — 220,000 m² of lab and office buildings — and its impact on the landscape. Letting go, because of the great plan uncertainty that a long-term realization of a program of this magnitude entails.
The plan resolutely opts for the perpetuation, enhancement and experience of the existing landscape — and the ecology developing therein — as key elements for the future spatial structure. 11 dimensionally stable building clusters form a composition on the site. Their mutual placement is motivated by soil conditions, views, sunlight, accessibility,... but is also such that the existing landscape is enhanced, experienced more intensively and can be 'released' to a large extent in function of biotope development. At the same time, each cluster derives its specific identity due to its location in the landscape.
In our plan, the existing grassy biotope is complemented by a petrified space between and around the historic mine buildings, a hard infrastructure landscape that consists of the necessary roads, and a dynamic hilly landscape that describes the contours of the science park and consists of mine stone accumulation as a result of the earthworks on the site.
Within the building clusters, a great deal of freedom is possible. The design guidelines for the clusters are all at the service of the relationship(s) that the clusters establish with the surrounding landscape structure. They are responsible for achieving all-round built quality and focusing on the transition from built-up to unbuilt in function of experience and management.
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